At the end of 4th week.

In the 7th grade we have been talking about bar and bat mitzva recently. We have discussed the question of adulthood from different perspectives. What makes one an adult to start with? Šimon, one of my students, suggested that the more difficult situations you have been through the more of an adult you are. In that sence, he claimed, some children are adult already at the age of 12 - those that have been through deathts of their parents, hardships of child labor or pains of torture. Some, on the other hand, he claimed, live an easy care free life and never really grow up. Most other students did not agree with Šimon and suggested other deffinitions for being adult. I tend not to agree with him either, but I think it is an interesting thought when we look at it from its other end - what do hard moments of our life do with us? How do they change us? Recently, I have started to do two jobs in which I have to communicate with many people; all of these people have certain ideas about how I should do my job and I am there to try to merge my ideas with theirs, to answer their demands. It is never easy to work in an environment when you have to answer a demands of so many different individauls. It is even less easy if you are new to the field or job. Recently, looking back at my first month of teaching and the 3 months of community work, I realized how many mistakes I have made. I must admit it is not easy to make mistakes even if you know they are unavoidable and a neccessary part of the proccess. Naturally, I wouldn´t compare the problems I encounter in my jobs to any of the hardships Šimon mentioned in our discussion. I concider myself a very lucky and fortunate human being, but my mistakes do make my feel low. Especially when I am tired and go to bed exhausted at 1am at the end of a long day I realize how much all the recent successes and failures change my life and the way I see myself. I wander if they make me more adult. They certainly make me feel very different and I can only hope this all will eventually be for the better.

Gmar chatima tovah to all (may you be sealed for good life next year.)