“Leavin’ On A Jet Plane”…..Mary Travers died in 2009….I knew her for a few days in a former life.

I am leaving on a Jet Plane to Amsterdam…1/10/10….and then to Mumbai…and so begins my 2 months out of America and the beginning of my sabbatical.

Talia, my soon-to-be 15 year old on my left and Eve, my now-21-yr-old on my rt. Machelle is a few rows ahead. Eve is on her way to Aarhus, Denmark where she will study for the next 6 months…photojournalism, the only American woman chosen for the program…and Talia, taking a month off of her freshman year in high school….to see India a second time and visit Europe for her 15^th birthday.

I am teaching in a Christian Seminary in Bangalore for a week…and another not yet finalized…and spending lots of time at Living India’s Home of Hope where we now have 33 boys and 19 girls…in Chandrakal….time to think…write…and then think some more.

Two months in India, in Andhra Pradesh…in Hyderabad…where a new state, Telegana is trying to emerge. I hope to continue to some dialogues with Muslims and new conversations with Hindus…and Sikhs…

I am thrilled to have some time away…to take Eve to her apt in Denmark before she begins her experience of studying in Europe…to travel in Europe with both T and Machelle…to return to Paris after more than 35 years….

To write the chapter of a book on my teacher Paul Ricoeur….to write and teach some Christians who have probably NEVER met a Jew…and certainly not a Rabbi.

I will stay in touch with this blog that Eve set up for me…Leavin On a Jet Plane was the great song of the late 60’s…and no matter who covered it, it was always Mary Traver’s song…she was spoke and sung at my congregation in Michigan City, IN…while I was single…we might have flirted or something…now at 63…sit between my daughters and can’t even hum the damn song correctly…but no matter…I am TRULY LEAVIN’ ON A JET PLANE….

I will be back in the US…give or take a few days on March 10, 2010….

I am THE REBEL RABBI…