September 4th seems so far away, and yet it is this coming Monday. Only four days away, and it feels like there is an insurmountable amount of loose ends to wrap up before Kendra and I leave for Israel on the 2017 GJF Mission.

I have to finish assembling a leadership team for this year’s Federation campaign, complete board and committee work for B’nai Shalom, take the kids to a few doctor’s appointments, watch Isaac perform an Aliyah at school, celebrate Keira’ s birthday (there is no possible  way I have an eleven year old), gear up for Kendra’s weekend on-call, make it to the Beth David Shabbat service for a sendoff,  and pack. Wait, I forgot that I have actual work to complete before heading out as well. 

I know all of this will be completed, but at 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday night I am not quite sure how.  

by Brian Ross