Two opposite things.

[xiphias]

My mother just got smicha this afternoon!

Debbie Friedman died this morning.

These things . . . should they be in the same post? I'm feeling them both right now.

Comments

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Congratulations to your mom! That's a heck of an accomplishment.

My condolences on the loss of Debbie.

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

Congratulations to your mom!

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

Oh! I understand feeling them both at the same time. Congratulations to your mother. Will having simcha let her do different thing, or is she going to keep doing more or less the same work?

Debbie Friedman's death feels like a shocking loss. Her work means a lot to me. May her memory be a blessing.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

I think she's planning on continuing with hospital chaplaincy, mainly, which is what she's already been doing.

But she now has more training in it -- and certification.

Also, it counts as an advanced degree, which achieves her goal of having something on the level of a Master's degree or above without ever graduating from college or high school.

[gilana]

Yasher koach to your mother!

Sad to hear about Debbie, though.

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

Yasher koach! And, to quote another great Jewish songwriter, "Al kol eleh / Shmor nah li eyli hatov / Al hadvash ve'al ha'okets / Al hamar vehamatok."

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

As he said, yasher koach!

[trinker.livejournal.com]

I had to go google the term, but now that I understand, congratulations, rebmommy!

[cellio]

Yasher koach to your mother!

[phaedra-lari.livejournal.com]

What is simcha? My google-fu is failing me.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Smicha is ordination as a rabbi.

[phaedra-lari.livejournal.com]

Wow! That is indeed quite an accomplishment.

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

SIMcha is a happy occasion for celebration. SMIcha is ordination as a rabbi, and also a happy occasion for celebration.

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

YAY Rebmommy.

I'm sorry to hear about Debbie Friedman. I didn't even know she was sick! Her music was a gift, all around.

[bercilakslady.livejournal.com]

Give your Mom a hug for me when you see her next? I'm really proud of her.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Mazel tov to your mother!

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Debbie Friedman is a wonderful lady who will be sorely missed.
Your mother is a wonderful lady who is muchly to be congratulated!

[roozle.livejournal.com]

Wow! Mazel tov ... and condolences all at the same time. It's one thing to believe that whatever you're feeling is going to change, given time, it's quite another when the time is Right Now.

[bluepapercup]

I think it is the Jewish way to be able to feel joy and loss at the same time. In a way, your mother's celebration is carrying on the legacy of Jewish education that Debbie was a part of. :)

Blessing and congratulations to you and your mother!

[teddywolf.livejournal.com]

Many congratulations to Reb Mommy :-)

As to the other part...
...
...
my condolences to her family, friends and appreciators.

[ladymondegreen.livejournal.com]

Y'shar koach to your mother.

I just posted (http://ladymondegreen.livejournal.com/91558.html) in my own blog about Debbie a minute before pecunium sent me a link to this.

[ladymondegreen.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you know, but Debbie's memorial service is up online here (http://www.jewishjournal.com/debbie_friedman/article/online_memorial_service_scheduled_to_remember_debbie_friedman_live_video_20/), and there's a good appreciation of her here (http://www.minnpost.com/maxsparber/2011/01/10/24717/debbie_friedman_minnesota-raised_jewish_songwriter_dies). There are bad bits in the streaming on the memorial service, but it's worthwhile.

In case you have no idea who this is, we sat on the lawn together at the Lefton's house singing at one of their summer parties a few years back. I think some of the songs may in fact have been Debbie Friedman songs, so it's nicely circular.

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

mazel tov to your mom!

[delerium69.livejournal.com]

That is very good news about your mom! And I think it's okay to write about both, if you're feeling it. It's your LJ.