My life was transformed for the good, the first I entered P'nai Or Princeton 16 years ago and heard R. Marcia say, "This is a very special Shabbat." Turns out, R. Marcia said this almost every Shabbat that she came to lead us.
I was a bit disappointed when I realized that, until I understood further: every Shabbat actually is a very special Shabbat. Every Kabbalat Shabbat, R. Marcia would give over another timely teaching, often in the form of a story from Torah, from midrash, from Kabbalah, that had me on the edge of my seat, enthralled. This was my heritage, the deep and beautiful stories that no one ever shared with me, of Presence, hope, possibilities, courage and new beginnings, until R. Marcia brought them to life. How they changed my understanding of myself, Judaism, the world!
And, eventually, so inspired, I left the life I knew to become a rabbinic student, both through ALEPH and the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in Boston. Scarcely a week goes by that I do not quote R. Marcia, for the teachings that inspired me and provide the underpinning for how I lead my life.
Todah rabba rabba, R. Marcia,
Ora Weiss
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