Tears of Joy and Confirmation on Shavuot

Ethan's Confirmation

I am a crier.  I misted up watching the last David Letterman Show and was even misty when watching Jimmy Kimmel talk about David Letterman.  I out and out cry at different t'filot, simchas, Yom Hashoah, even the send off for the bike trip at OSRUI, Tour L'agam. When we send off Tour L'agam the campers are leaving for a 1,000 mile trip around Lake Michigan.  When my own son went on this trip I had to hold myself back from sobbing.

Will Rivlin and Ethan leave for Tour L'Agam

Why all this talk about tears before Shavuot?  Our confirmation t'filah (Sunday, May 24 at 10:30 am with Yizkor) will be sure to start me crying.  We have 5 students this year and I am so proud of all of them.  I have known most of them since they were 5 or 6.  I make a short presentation to them as I do to my B'nai Mitzvah students and I hope I can get through it.

All of these students have grown up here and will be speaking on Sunday.  The theme of their t'filah is Questions.  This is not a spoiler alert but here are the questions they will be asking and answering on Sunday:

Questions from our Confirmation Class 2015-577

 Is religion still important?

 What do you most value about being Jewish?

 Can Judaism survive interfaith marriage?

 Is world peace possible?

 Is the Torah historically accurate and factual?

I may print their answers in another blog but I hope you come and hear them discuss and debate these important concepts.  We will also be celebrating this milestone with their families and our congregation.  I am sure I will shed some tears as I say Mazel Tov.  It will not be goodbye  though but L'hitraot, so long,  as I hope to see most of my confirmands back next year as Madrichim, teacher aides.  Chag Samaech.