Kelim application, PDQ

Last year, a bunch of my friends including snjstar, ploni_bat_ploni and Petra WINOLJ went on Ta'amim, a month-long study programme at the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem. I considered it, vaguely, myself, but was unwilling to up roots and completely change my life like that for a month. Then, halfway through, I realised I should have gone. If not now, when; indeed.

I had a (very^*) traditional cheder up to and including Gemara study; the way this was taught put me off Jewish learning for years. I got back into it through a combination of being ashamed by how much more knowledgeable livredor was, when we were going out, than I about the reasoning behind much of the halacha we have, and also by getting involved with the Masorti movement and not knowing much about it, and coming across opportunities to learn more.

* It was run my charedim from Gateshead.

Having for the last three years attended the New North London Synagogue's twice-yearly learning programme, the Marom Beit Midrash, and Limmud, I've got to the point I'm now recognising some of the core texts that get brought; obviously that's only dipping my toe into the waters, though I heard someone once say that one can get a good understanding of much of Jewish halacha from the study of something like seventy sugiot...

Still, I feel a concentrated period of Yeshiva learning is something missing from my life, and I should rectify it. I expressed interest to Assael, the Masorti shaliach, on going on Ta'amim this year; only to discover Ta'amim is not running. There is, however, a programme called Kelim (I'm not sure how different it will be). Assael redirected my enquiry to Jo, the Marom fieldworker, who forwarded me the application form.

The deadline for applications is on the tenth of March. That's two days time. *gulp* I really hate rushing into things, and really hate big decisions too...

There are five subsidised scholarships available; to be eligible for a scholarship "you need to have a background in Jewish youth work or community work and also show a commitment to contribute to the Masorti Movement on your return"—I think I can blag my way through this—and to apply for one I need to "Write a side long piece on why you would like to attend the programme, why you are a suitable candidate, what your relevant interests are, your previous experience and what you hope to offer the community in the future."

And all of this in two days. *ulp*

If anyone has any advice for me on what Ta'amim was like, and whether they think I would enjoy it, now's the time to say it.