Pivotal Person in My Life

Dear Reb Marcia,

On this happy occasion, I am very pleased to thank you for all of the contributions you have made to my life.  From teaching story telling at the old Elat Chayyim to DLTI to all the support you gave me in the months before my ordination to the Israel trip and beyond – you have really been there for me.  You have been a pivotal person in my life in so many ways.  I remember telling you at DLTI that I thought I was there too soon, and that I should come back when I had learned more – only to be reassured and affirmed by you.  I remember how helpful you were in enabling me to get the faith group endorsement needed for ACPE.  I remember your efforts in the months before ordination when I needed to deal with you and Shulamit regarding some very personal issues.  I remember talking to you and sobbing during DLTI, and apologizing to you for the amount of transference I had and your graciousness in being with me.  

I appreciate your calm (at least it looks calm!), I appreciate your caring for others, I appreciate how hard you work on behalf of ALEPH and its ordination programs and I appreciate the way you try to take care of yourself even when events are conspiring to make you spread yourself too thin.  I appreciate your eloquence and I appreciate the depth and richness of your knowledge.  I appreciate how gracious you have been to Barbara when you have seen her.   

I hope that you are able to take in all the caring and the love that will be expressed to you by so many during this period.  It is richly deserved, and I hope you are both affirmed and inspired. 

With love and blessings,

Chaplain David Daniel Klipper Rabbinic Pastor and ACPE Associate Supervisor