sh'liach k'hilah

[cellio]

For the past couple days I've been expecting to receive the self-addressed stamped postcard I included with my application packet. Tomorrow's the application deadline, and I mailed it with the expectation of having the card back before the deadline (just to confirm that everything's ok, y'know, 'cause I'm a little paranoid that way), so I was growing slightly concerned.

The next step after the application, according to the literature, is a phone screen.

I came home to a phone message that I've been accepted. Woo hoo! Apparently my application was strong enough (the rabbi who called used the word "fantastic") that they're skipping the phone screen. :-)

I am so looking forward to this! They'll be mailing me a packet with all the details.

Comments

WWWWWWWOOOOOOOOTTTTT

[cecerose.livejournal.com]

Wow. All these rabbis and pararabbis to be...

I'm impressed!

Congrats and a hearty MAZEL TOV!!!!

Re: WWWWWWWOOOOOOOOTTTTT

[cellio]

Thank you!

[tsjafo.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

[cellio]

Thanks!

[tikvahope.livejournal.com]

Yay!!! Mazel Tov!

[cellio]

Thank you! (Third try - what's up with LJ right now?)

Woohoo!

[tangerinpenguin.livejournal.com]

Way to go!

Re: Woohoo!

[cellio]

Thanks! Gee, I hope they have convenient internet access at HUC; I'll bet that week and a half will prompt a lot of writing. :-)

[indigodove.livejournal.com]

Congratulations :-)

I am very happy for you!

[cellio]

Thank you!

[steven.livejournal.com]

This is wonderful news! Congratulations!

[cellio]

Thank you!

If they were sending me to the New York campus I'd take the opportunity to meet you, but this is in Cincinnati, which is less helpful for that particular goal.

[dmnsqrl.livejournal.com]

Congrats!

[cellio]

Thanks! (Hey, why aren't some of my posted comments showing up? Sorry if this is a duplicate.)

[nsingman.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

[cellio]

Thank you! (My previous comment seems to have been swallowed.)

[ralphmelton.livejournal.com]

Wow! You rock. Congratulations!

[cellio]

Thanks! The whole "we're skipping straight to acceptance" thing really blew me away.

[rectangularcat]

Wow, well deserved! I am very happy for you!

[cellio]

Thank you!

(Hey, nice user pic!)

[siderea]

Congratulations. So what did you wind up writing? Did you post it?

[cellio]

Thanks!

I considered posting my essay and resume as top-level entries here, but that's a little too prominent as far as I'm concerned. So while there is no technical difference in security levels (only a difference in warm-fuzziness), herewith some links:

essay

resume

[siderea]

Oooh, very nicely done.

[cellio]

Thanks! I spent a while crafting them, and I had feedback from a couple people here. :-)

[nickjong.livejournal.com]

Hey, congratulations! :o)

[cellio]

Thank you! At the time I was preparing the application it felt sort of like applying to grad school, but this was much easier, I'm sure.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Mazal tov and b'hatzlacha!

[cellio]

Todah rabah!

[murmur311.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! That's really great. :)

[cellio]

Thank you! We'll have to do lunch or something while I'm at HUC.

[murmur311.livejournal.com]

Definitely! Just give me a heads up before you come in town and we'll set things up.

You might be interested in this article:
http://www.jewishcincinnati.org/content_display.html?ArticleID=105049

It's about a woman who went through this program. Reading the article I realized I've met the woman in charge of the program, Rachel Komerofsky. She's the wife of Rabbi David Komerofsky, dean of HUC, who taught my intro class.

[zare-k.livejournal.com]

Very cool! Congratulations :)

[cellio]

Thank you! This is going to be quite nifty, I think.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Mazal tov! Congratulations! Huzzah!
I hope you get as much out of it as you want :-).

[cellio]

Thank you! I'm looking forward to it.

[ealdthryth.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! That's terrific!

[cellio]

Thank you!

[mrpeck.livejournal.com]

That's really cool. Congratulations!

[cellio]

Thanks! I'm excited. (Bet that's not a surprise. :-) )

[mishtaneh.livejournal.com]

Yay! Mazel tov!

[cellio]

Thanks!

Hurrah!!!!

[kiane36.livejournal.com]

I never had any doubts. Congratulations and I look forward as always to your insightful discussions here. (Really hoping that they have internet so it can be in real-time but if not, then when you come back)

Shawna Kiane

Re: Hurrah!!!!

[cellio]

Thanks, and thanks for the kind words. I assume I'll be able to get internet access there, which just means I need to borrow or rent a laptop to take with me. If the packet of stuff they're sending me about accommodations and travel and foo doesn't cover this vital detail, I can always ask. :-)

[goljerp]

Yay! I'm glad they accepted you! As far as I'm concerned, there was no real question they'd accept you as long as they weren't being nutty. (I have a friend who wasn't admitted to HUC Rabbinic school, ended up going to another movement's seminary and is now an extremely popular Rabbi at a large (non-Reform) congregation...)

[cellio]

I know someone I think of as highly qualified who was rejected by HUC, so she's currently in the Reconstructionist rabbinical school. I have heard, but have no direct evidence, that HUC sometimes rejects rabbinic students they consider to be "over-qualified", which I suppose means too much lay experience or something. Dunno; sounds weird to me, but I've never gone through the process and have no direct knowledge. Anyway, I was hoping that either such criteria would not apply to this program or that, if they do, I wouldn't be perceived as over-qualified.

[jducoeur]

Congrats!

I'm not terribly surprised by the early acceptance -- your application shows commitment, organization and thoughtfulness, while demonstrating that you have clear and realistic goals for what you'd like to get out of the program. You're very clearly well-suited to this opportunity.

I'd bet that the majority of their candidates simply haven't put that kind of time and thought into their applications. An awful lot of people have very fluffy ideas about religious training...

[cellio]

Thanks!

I'd bet that the majority of their candidates simply haven't put that kind of time and thought into their applications.

I can believe that; I'm pretty picky about things like this. I wonder how many people actually applied; the application process sent the clear message that they expect you to put some thought into this, but that doesn't mean everyone does. In theory it could have been approximately one per UAHC congregation (or one per rabbi, perhaps), but I assume it was much lower than that. (I'm also curious about how many they accepted, but if nothing else I'll learn that in July.)