A truly outstanding moment of my life was pulled forth from me by Reb Marcia. It was DLTI Thursday morning practice - prayer service leading. I was my usual diffident, not very visible self, leading the prayer Yistabach. Reb Marcia stopped me, coached me.
"Imagine", she said, "that you are out to dinner with your love. It's a beautiful night, dinner is exquisite, the wine is lovely, suddenly comes, 'Will you marry me?' Say Yistabach from there", Reb Marcia said.
I led the prayer "Yishtabach" from every cell of my body.
From this experience I saw possibilities open for me of living my life, and my prayer leading life, from a deeply felt, deeply connected place in myself - at least sometimes. I think that's what J.D. Salinger meant when he said, "all of your stars are out".
Reb Marcia's kind, deeply felt wisdom has guided me many times during my time in the Aleph Rabbinic and Rabbinic Pastor program. I send her my deepest respect and gratitude and joyous best wishes.
Judith Goleman
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