tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74064078429463980012024-02-07T18:26:20.736-05:00Dunking RachaelExplorations & Reflections
on
Faith, Love and LifeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger165125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-84641050503214142202014-05-04T09:05:00.000-04:002014-05-04T09:05:10.282-04:00ChangeThis past Shabbat was the second one where my synagogue auditioned a new cantor. Without going into the entire painful back story that is filled with politics, ego, and human beings acting very badly, the entire Shabbat experience made me horribly sad.<br />
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My husband is upset for all his reasons, (see prior post) and this mess just adds to his reasons not to go. I went and felt tears welling up many times. The young man they were auditioning was good enough, it's not about him.<br />
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I liked the soon to be gone cantor. I also think it goes a bit deeper for me. Bluntly, he is the only Cantor I have regularly experienced. He was new at my synagogue when I choose to be Jewish and he's soon to be out. Some how I am experiencing this as a loss.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-45239580999536994402014-04-20T11:12:00.000-04:002014-04-20T11:12:35.135-04:00Honor Your Mother and Father TreifToday is Easter Sunday.<br />
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Ordinarily my husband and I would drive to my elderly parents home, 2 hours away, and partake in the the holy grail of treif experiences, Italian Easter diner. Unfortunately, this year due to causes and conditions including a pair of nasty sinus infections we are foregoing the feast. I realized, after calling them to let them know we couldn't come, how disappointed I am. The Easter extravaganza which always comes mid Passover is a yearly surreal encounter with a life I no longer live. I am becoming deeply aware that my connection to that world is growing faint and soon will be no more. Once my parents, who are well into their 80's are no longer, my connections to the world of my childhood will disappear. This thought has been engaging me since my sister's stage 4 cancer diagnosis and the escalation of my mother's frail health episodes. This existential crisis has deep roots and huge questions.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-24114343883440911052014-04-19T09:43:00.000-04:002014-04-20T10:43:30.813-04:00Doubt<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMUx5KXUGpyog-K5PimpN-ScVu08nhWev5ameITWY8l-pzq7NGysPkF5esLb19ZwQ4CQXMkQ5iSQmAoFMeSOyatsrm0v2l6H7KYNrU0RYse6UiK9MPiwO168_7IUzTl8lRJOxzXnyeZts/s1600/Solitary-bird-in-the-sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMUx5KXUGpyog-K5PimpN-ScVu08nhWev5ameITWY8l-pzq7NGysPkF5esLb19ZwQ4CQXMkQ5iSQmAoFMeSOyatsrm0v2l6H7KYNrU0RYse6UiK9MPiwO168_7IUzTl8lRJOxzXnyeZts/s1600/Solitary-bird-in-the-sky.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a><br />
My husband over the past few years has been through a lot emotionally. Unfortunately this has left him in a deeply conflicted place when it comes to religion and our participation in it. He has stated that he thinks he is an atheist and that the only reason he goes to synagogue is "because that is where the Jews are." But now more and more he doesn't want to go to services at all. I want to go and miss the Jewish rhythm it brings to my week.I don't want to start doing things alone, that is the ghost of marriage/divorce past and not the road I will choose. Yet this dilemma leaves me in the deeply uncomfortable position of wanting, no, perhaps needing to be more Jewish in my daily activities. <br />
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It has been 6 years this month that I choose to be<br />
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Jewish. This new phase is is challenging me in ways I didn't see coming . </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-65811616304978626002013-05-02T15:25:00.000-04:002013-05-02T17:12:05.136-04:00Living Jewish...Being Jewish<b></b><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">April
of 2008 I married my beloved husband. What a journey...sometimes when
I think about it, it feels almost like some sort of odd reality TV
show: "Living Jewish...Being Jewish."</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTnwOw0qaBaAauJ7JkyAOoRH3_4IW_MR10TgomCFnowDMfHV8Ye__rjn_dCj8ppnNOk50ODDdJFpL6DUSfH6HANelLE3AvY5lcreFFymXCwJfJl0AnPLU7jS6fevepSNQLwjeYtQZjJ4/s1600/images+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTnwOw0qaBaAauJ7JkyAOoRH3_4IW_MR10TgomCFnowDMfHV8Ye__rjn_dCj8ppnNOk50ODDdJFpL6DUSfH6HANelLE3AvY5lcreFFymXCwJfJl0AnPLU7jS6fevepSNQLwjeYtQZjJ4/s320/images+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: black;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>In
the beginning the emphasis was on soaking up all that I could. I
attended every lecture and class. I read multiple books at once and
went to every service that I could possibly attend. In those early
days, I was obsessed with "doing Jewish." I tried to "pass"
(be taken as a born Jew by other born Jews) and spent much time
observing and learning not only the obvious, Torah, Kashrut, Hebrew
..etc..but also the complex social/community structure around me. I
dived deep into the pool hoping that acceptance and belonging would
soon follow. I think I have been fortunate in comparison to some of
my fellow Jews by Choice. The community that I call my spiritual
home, has been welcoming and accepting of me in every way. So much so
that I was elected to the board of the synagogue. This is the
great place to end this...a convert who has assimilated, engaged
and can pass......</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ahhh
but if it could be that simple...that black and white....</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>"What
is a Jew?" is a loaded yet simple question depending on the
questioner. <span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">Over
the arc of these past five years I have shifted, gone
to extremes and moderated multiple times. Life
has collaborated and resisted, intervening with
all it's joys and sorrows. What began as 'doing
Jewish" slid to "feeling Jewish" and has landed in a
place of "being Jewish."</span></span></b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Over
these past years I have become Jewish...sometimes, perhaps after a
bit too much Shabbat wine, I muse I was Jewish all along. I love the
idea that all Jews in the past, present and future were at Sinai. Yet
I believe my "being Jewish" has corresponded
with an easing, a surrender of sorts. A surrender to the idea that
all of my life's experiences, make me who I am; The Catholic,
Unitarian Universalist and Buddhist ones included. There is the idea
that when one chooses to convert all that was before that point is
dead. We are born again, to borrow a phrase, into our new Jewish
selves. I tried to implement some version of that earlier in my
journey. Yet like most ideas, dogmas and plans time has a way of
smoothing things out and taking the sharpness away. I truly believe I
am a better Jew because of my past, because of the act of choosing. I
can not erase my memories like an outdated computer hard drive. I
have found that embracing all of me...not just the newer Jewish
parts, empowers my faith and my joy. </b></span></span></span></div>
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</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-15161961536079806542011-12-23T12:06:00.000-05:002011-12-23T13:42:58.467-05:00What is the Smell of 2340 Hanukkah Candles?<div style="text-align: right;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It’s the smell of</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">VICTORY!</span></b></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">This
week my Synagogue, The Merrick Jewish
Centre, broke the Guinness Record for the most menorahs
lit at the same time in one place. I was on the small committee who came up
with this crazy idea and implemented it! The idea came out
of our Synagogue Innovation Committee which is attempting
to promote and lead to culture change in our beloved
community, to gain more involved members and to
increase spiritual awakening in all....to have folks be
the Synagogue not be consumers of Synagogue services..."LIGHT UP THE
NIGHT" was our kick off event to engage and hopefully gain the
attention of the Jews in our neighborhood.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">I
was responsible for electronic/social media ...I am so happy we got
mentioned around the world! A fellow committee member took the video
below and wrote:</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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while, an idea immediately captures the imagination and spirit of a community.
Mazel Tov to all who participated. YOU DID MAKE HISTORY"</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">But this was even bigger , this was a community event
and there were folks from many different streams of </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Judaism<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> ...Reform,
Conservative and Modern Orthodox... also folks who maybe set foot in a </span>Synagogue
once a year. This is the modern Hanukkah gift, to light the light of
enthusiasm, spirit and joy. To connect folks to their birthright,
their faith or their religion of choice is a goal worth having. Some thought
this was a silly thing to do, others complained that we were not religious
enough, but in the end we touched our community and just maybe someone
might decide to light shabbat candles tonight, or show up
on Saturday...that would be a good thing!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">Bat Mitzvah </span>came off lovely. I feel good that I completed the task. In the end, it really didn't matter who came to support me. It was about me and my commitment and my <em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;">Kavana, my intent and spirituality.</em></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;">When I worked in the hospital as a social worker, I worked in positions that bluntly were about death and dying. I must have witnessed </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">hundreds</span><i style="font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;"> of deaths. </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">ultimately, I believe </span><i style="font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;">we all die alone </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">regardless</span><i style="font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;"> of who is in the room. Depending on one's </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">believe</span><i style="font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;"> </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">system</span><i style="font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;"> it is between you and the divine, or perhaps just you and you....I know this can come off as morbid, but for me it is not. It is actually comforting. How I choose to be, how I meditate, pray and be in the world are my choice...my action. My actions are my only true belongings. </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;">The Bar Mitzvah was mine to feel, do and experience. My husband was there </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">and</span><i style="font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;"> that was </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">wonderful</span><i style="font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;">. </i></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-15636141379510254682011-11-30T15:47:00.001-05:002011-11-30T17:03:44.202-05:00Parashat Vayishlach... FamilyWe are well within the final countdown to the Haftorah showdown! .... December 10th is our moment. We only have 3 more group practices before the big day, and I have started to hear the portions and prayers in my sleep. truly, I have dreams with the prayers as the sound tracks. I do need for this to be done.<br />
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This pending ritual has also brought out some family of origin discomfort. My family, Catholics, have been supportive of me and my second husband, but I do think this very public declaration of my Jewishness is causing some emotional ripples. It saddens me that this is starting to surface in what I perceive as unconscious ways, on the part of my family. Not a single family member will be able to attend this event despite weeks and weeks of notice. Perhaps I was being unrealistic to think someone from my family would come, but none the less it was my hope. </div>
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Being a convert at times is a lonely road. I am different from the most of the other women who are joining me on the 10th. Some of them them are having over 50 people come. I do feel a bit jealous that they are so supported. I have managed to cobble together 14 folks, friends and one of my husband's daughters and his brother and his partner.</div>
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I can not help but reflect on our Torah reading. It is after all about family, forgiveness and continuity but it is also about transformation.All this preparation for the big day has helped me notice how much I have changed over the past 5 years...so much has changed. Overall I am still clear and content with my choices, but the melancholia of December is starting to hit, and the recent issues (not worth detailing) with my parents and one of my siblings is hitting home how diffident I have become. The brothers in the Torah portion manage to put their disastrous history behind them, with an <i>after all family is family </i>attitude. Unfortunately I am not feeling that from mine....just a little sad.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-23571514796362112322011-11-18T10:00:00.005-05:002011-11-18T11:03:14.060-05:00why Write?Inspiration comes from many avenues and it is clear I have not been inspired in any way for many many months...yet something happened last night that switched the switch..lit the fire...well you get the point. What flashed like a neon sign in my head<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"only 20 something days left until my Bat Mitzvah." </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Fmd8LcDJxbVsAmVyLcULQ5ngjTSwpsZab10apQ2sH_Vd_jV_ElqDNTE5V7i3zZAhguW4mENDvneL5HTLZJRKrRvEAqfx_dMgypiei7oZmqaCSqYfm1u_6lvBheKc9-kaLlFZqsd6ulk/s1600/Torah-scroll-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Fmd8LcDJxbVsAmVyLcULQ5ngjTSwpsZab10apQ2sH_Vd_jV_ElqDNTE5V7i3zZAhguW4mENDvneL5HTLZJRKrRvEAqfx_dMgypiei7oZmqaCSqYfm1u_6lvBheKc9-kaLlFZqsd6ulk/s320/Torah-scroll-1.jpg" width="320" /></a>This event has been sucking my life force away moment by moment. If you read through this blog there will be many themes which emerge. One, perfectionism, is my curse. I have been slain by Hebrew and troup! As a person with admitted learning disabilities I have struggled all my life to put into context my abilities and how I perceive myself as a thinking educated person. This slow motion march to mediocrity has been a drain on my self esteem (only to a point) and has pushed some of my least admirable behaviors. I have struggled with the multi leveled interpersonal issues of the class.....very strong personalities...no need to go further there...I have struggled with it all. Now please do not get the wrong idea, I am not sitting here ringing my hands in an anxiety fueled cold sweat. About two or so months ago I came to the conclusion I just had to finish what I started. Base line advice I give all parents in my therapy /social work practice...finish what you start! So I have let go of any expectations of being good...I am going for not embarrassing!...but last night's full class on the bima practice was beyond embarrassing! ...but is is almost done.......<br />
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almost...........<br />
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</b></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-49197875086983741432011-11-18T00:42:00.002-05:002011-11-18T00:54:50.279-05:00ReBoot!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBddBBfb3FyQvHjX6krvxXO9Msf9-C3GCSqq_vlSQp4Gh8cKdxZI5DSr35ZJ7vELVFI4UJ9-ApgEW5d14KFqeGUE1jC69ncEz0xnQvaaHopJs11tuhl8SPZatd5PLcOQJ4V4DDRy8I2-g/s1600/cloud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBddBBfb3FyQvHjX6krvxXO9Msf9-C3GCSqq_vlSQp4Gh8cKdxZI5DSr35ZJ7vELVFI4UJ9-ApgEW5d14KFqeGUE1jC69ncEz0xnQvaaHopJs11tuhl8SPZatd5PLcOQJ4V4DDRy8I2-g/s640/cloud.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">yes....Reboot... </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">to start again....</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">turn over a new leaf....</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">to wipe the slate clean....</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">carpe diem....</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">begin anew</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">you get the picture........</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">life moves on......</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">more to come....</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-16910954239063917792011-07-28T16:22:00.001-04:002011-07-29T09:02:33.511-04:00Brain Fog or My Dog Ate My Bat Mitzvah Lesson<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVSMGMRwEan4y7RyvgG0wxmtpjGNswGpy2Z_-M6cm2heyOfhrJ4svFo0j3ojq2vA10bj9njZK4-fM2jVKbcIow2_oBavayzWAV9yzRp8F988uKrptkGq8s0y9cP-RCyX7uUBPNlZcRpM/s1600/woman_reading_torah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVSMGMRwEan4y7RyvgG0wxmtpjGNswGpy2Z_-M6cm2heyOfhrJ4svFo0j3ojq2vA10bj9njZK4-fM2jVKbcIow2_oBavayzWAV9yzRp8F988uKrptkGq8s0y9cP-RCyX7uUBPNlZcRpM/s1600/woman_reading_torah.jpg" t$="true" /></a></div>It is no secret that this year I officially joined the ranks of “women of a certain age.” For those of you not old enough to be aware of this very special club, that means I turned 50 years old. This mile-stone has co-occurred with my need to wear glasses for both reading and distance, an increase in hot flashes and what my doctor calls “Brain Fog.” Brain Fog….sounds like something I need a special out fit for, perhaps even some matching rubber boots! My doctor keeps reassuring me that I’m “on track” and “normal.” Clearly, it can be reassuring to be on track when you are 5 years old, but to be this kind of normal at 50, well I just call that ….undesirable! <br />
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Another co-occurrence, although a self inflicted co-occurrence, is my studying for my adult Bat Mitzvah. It’s odd I don’t really remember volunteering to do it…must be the fog…but there I am every week in the class from hell. Wait, I’m almost sure Jews don’t believe in hell…..The Rabbi appears extremely confident that myself, along with the rest of our motley crew, will be “davenning with the best of them” and singing like angels by our December 10th date. Just makes you want to break out in a chorus of “Girls, Girls, Girls,” except I believe the median age of this group is probably 70. Now try to erase that picture from your mind! ( thinly veiled reference to hair metal band Motley Crue’s big 80’s hit and pole dancing video vixin filled video)<br />
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The above mentioned “occurrences” as my gynecologist likes to call them, combined with my life long issues with learning disabilities…dyslexia et al….make this a herculean task ; that is learning both the Hebrew text and trope (tune). I don’t think that so far it is going too well….I will keep y’all posted!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-1026925405802308492011-07-25T15:15:00.001-04:002011-07-25T15:16:42.902-04:00They Like Me, They Really Like Me!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnCh2brfM98otcQBt5FVdObPvBuncyPBAUMoJASLmyLG8X1gpuRCA4jxDdj3cG2zj4kxQXbDs-8rA-nuKuq3t_m9zM759_evnh46g02iuG1afY6bqA0VQ4kNFoz-NkCBwcMYRGVSWNis/s1600/pig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnCh2brfM98otcQBt5FVdObPvBuncyPBAUMoJASLmyLG8X1gpuRCA4jxDdj3cG2zj4kxQXbDs-8rA-nuKuq3t_m9zM759_evnh46g02iuG1afY6bqA0VQ4kNFoz-NkCBwcMYRGVSWNis/s320/pig.jpg" t$="true" width="320px" /></a>I was published today on the hilarious and poignant Pork Memoirs blog.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://porkmemoirs.com/memoirs/32">http://porkmemoirs.com/memoirs/32</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">"Pork Memoirs is an ongoing story project about pork and identity, and how our choices surrounding the pig often reveal our cultural backgrounds and worldviews. </div><br />
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While Pork may seem like just a common part of a hearty breakfast or a perennial darling of Haute cuisine, at its core the pig represents a paradox: after all, pork is a staple protein for a majority of the world yet taboo for the rest; it is a meat explicitly forbidden for Jews, Muslims and others while it is celebrated by fetishists and gastronomes."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-7013929348205604732011-07-15T08:12:00.000-04:002011-07-15T08:12:07.951-04:00Baruch Dayan HaEmetthe national news and the local news continue to vibrate with the gruesome details of the death of the boy from Brooklyn. I have nothing to add except to say I turn it off. I urge you to turn it off.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-31115740051994250412011-06-21T17:23:00.002-04:002011-06-21T17:36:14.131-04:00Kosher Cochon Dreams<div class="MsoNormal">I dunked three years ago. In some ways it feels like a lifetime away, but yet it is only a mere thirty six months give or take a few. For those not in the know, in order to convert to Judaism, the ritual includes submersion in a very specific ritual bath called a mikvah. Upon exit from this water, presto-change-o, you are a Jew! This concise explanation clearly leaves out much. The mental, spiritual and emotional experience which leads one to so drastically change religion are not brief or easy. </div><div class="MsoNormal">Did I mention that at the time of my conversion I was a Buddhist Unitarian Universalist? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdu31Bo05KXv5vvaoZvhK0jcqtdpGewo7UCelflN0nJjfbTKeM-sEnFO0cKfN_XBy_AcBxyNf3mxbVEDT2CuLtAszJomcyuCe5rZK-C3HUTJSVwmDOrfLKGgWAjVd4DHou7wydczZi7cM/s1600/crispy_bacon_1+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdu31Bo05KXv5vvaoZvhK0jcqtdpGewo7UCelflN0nJjfbTKeM-sEnFO0cKfN_XBy_AcBxyNf3mxbVEDT2CuLtAszJomcyuCe5rZK-C3HUTJSVwmDOrfLKGgWAjVd4DHou7wydczZi7cM/s320/crispy_bacon_1+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a>I have embraced this new life and the many choices that come with it. Some people would call these choices rules or laws. I prefer the word choice because I have chosen this path with an open mind and heart. This includes keeping Kosher. Kosher is a complex system of food regulations/choices and yes religious laws that the Jewish people have been following for thousands of years.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> Having been Buddhist for approximately 20 years, I have spent a good portion of my adult life flirting with various forms of food restrictions, vegetarianism. Clearly, I am accustomed to not being in step with the mainstream regarding gastronomy. I have been, in my life, at times, the queen of food issues. So kosher shouldn’t be such a big change.... well, maybe not!</div><div class="MsoNormal"> I miss bacon. I miss pancetta, Italian bacon. Did I mention I have a strong Italian family heritage? I miss cooking with it, the smoky flavor of it and generally the entire gestalt of it. I remember being at a diner with a friend during my strictest vegetarian days. This friend was complaining vigorously about the smell of the animal flesh, bacon, and even then, I loved that aroma! It was my vegetarian cheating animal product, but now I have chosen to forsake the porcine delight…forever. </div><div class="MsoNormal">I truly do not want to eat it. Currently my convictions are stronger than my urges. Yet I can't help but wonder, does loving the smell and the taste, of bacon make me somehow a failed Jew? Has my first hand understanding of the power of that savory slice made it impossible for me to join the rest of the tribe? Being a convert has some extra pressures to it. In some ways I feel as if I am held to a stricter standard if only in my own mind. If I dream about eating that delectable traif, non kosher meat, is that a violation? If I get my pathetic fix with kosher, artificially bacon flavored food products, am I cheating? At last perhaps my only choice is to keep my cochen, pork dreams a secret and rely on another pre-dunk legacy, guilt. </div><div class="MsoNormal">Did I mention I was once Catholic?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-2510390258782827442011-06-21T08:04:00.000-04:002011-06-21T08:04:12.683-04:00New House!<div style="text-align: center;">Well I did it.....</div><div style="text-align: center;">Moved into the new house and the old house is going to closing tomorrow...</div><div style="text-align: center;">It has been a crazy 3 months but it looks like we made it...All that's left to do is unpack!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">my new back yard</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-28237371571092373842011-04-13T18:24:00.001-04:002011-04-17T23:25:24.556-04:00What a Mess!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cleaning and getting ready for Passover is such a mess!....I have to do it in between working so today I left the house like a bomb went off. I think it is funny that all this cleaning and moving of things actually makes the the house more of a mess!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">out with the "sold" contraband</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1KqXMXFGykwCpjfaDQYUh7AXsJD_v45lOpG-K7T3gcpNOmsCHY3tQIk6JTjSTT5DaVJBTSYvioTFySi_PEhsnBBY5fIynpAgyFTQwxRjhYI_5JIPQhgj8iP6vKTrFnNQxFhrIaewaKw/s1600/food+in+basket.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1KqXMXFGykwCpjfaDQYUh7AXsJD_v45lOpG-K7T3gcpNOmsCHY3tQIk6JTjSTT5DaVJBTSYvioTFySi_PEhsnBBY5fIynpAgyFTQwxRjhYI_5JIPQhgj8iP6vKTrFnNQxFhrIaewaKw/s320/food+in+basket.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In with the new!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsNGLA4tEXcqzNNZmzEtG-jvlM6LL0Ff9R4o-HqU804_myM7e7NXuMiBafxIVFdtSXKsXUa7tHWSm9FRa6k6tkcuBl7AXlk-lOjhu_YVwsyF1Q43WLNytXbJt92O6TQJ4YX8PKAxWPzo/s1600/passover+mess.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkEalI9KT_pKgkq20BdpiYLkaw8LftRsDda-Fi3SJ_XgfwT46cZGYW0xQLyh70F_xns0yNAqJBHkREZnU-AbSJVh9deCAJVnIVTMATK3TOYU9cssvoR9Rx4dlgGvxaFhr8lkLuDxEB1NM/s1600/food+in+cab.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkEalI9KT_pKgkq20BdpiYLkaw8LftRsDda-Fi3SJ_XgfwT46cZGYW0xQLyh70F_xns0yNAqJBHkREZnU-AbSJVh9deCAJVnIVTMATK3TOYU9cssvoR9Rx4dlgGvxaFhr8lkLuDxEB1NM/s320/food+in+cab.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-73968065579705525702011-04-06T15:11:00.003-04:002011-04-06T15:16:25.903-04:00Getten' Ready!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcpIbrmObw3p63ASEuGJHm_7iBtqgJGhCyQdV-0V4RIoi3ptX06J3UqBiqI5gjri32G5Xfr5bQ8TAzbB7vZLGRZ3EVMHuQzy0EzfB7YBAkT_H6eX760JSGlTZpVxKCuLippE0fa78K8pA/s1600/passover+shopping.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcpIbrmObw3p63ASEuGJHm_7iBtqgJGhCyQdV-0V4RIoi3ptX06J3UqBiqI5gjri32G5Xfr5bQ8TAzbB7vZLGRZ3EVMHuQzy0EzfB7YBAkT_H6eX760JSGlTZpVxKCuLippE0fa78K8pA/s320/passover+shopping.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I <span style="font-family: inherit;">have</span> been a planning fool!...this year, so far, I am ahead of schedule. I even got to the Passover store early enough to get all my dry goods before it feels like the last plane out of Saigon!...(For those of you too young to get that reference, it is related to the panic and horrific end days of the Vietnam war when the US was pulling out and anyone who had collaborated and worked with the Americans were trying to escape, as the Americans tried to get themselves out.) I have planned the meal, went through all the recipes and figured out what will be needed...(aka <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSV5KoZifYyMA_XZAmQR5ogULEB9HSB28Vv-3rxUsiEJ5zzCApGknsNXMe5nJbcu1VxVhlWhI7r2aGR1DTwU9CoQ_BQ-cfkLcc22VhBDujHgiKtXtBV9Os7S0RREAebxvp1j9U12L8q7s/s1600/passover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSV5KoZifYyMA_XZAmQR5ogULEB9HSB28Vv-3rxUsiEJ5zzCApGknsNXMe5nJbcu1VxVhlWhI7r2aGR1DTwU9CoQ_BQ-cfkLcc22VhBDujHgiKtXtBV9Os7S0RREAebxvp1j9U12L8q7s/s200/passover.jpg" width="200" /></a>the list) </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> I was so early that there were these nifty Bedikas Chometz sets for 99 cents!....feather, candle, wooden spoon and large wide mouth bag to deposit those wayward crumbs!...how cool....</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghh5l_Yk_mZIL2Rf7wRG9DRPDE2wL1PZ66W7T2L_P0v7jagGgTCTOU4lBioWvJ14hjJ1iIjljjeTmaPcB4IgMZMmpJ0CHcuNCdGTb4pxBUIo66hjn2d0Mj6z9EZY9EH6hUe-aHCTfIW5s/s1600/bighag27.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghh5l_Yk_mZIL2Rf7wRG9DRPDE2wL1PZ66W7T2L_P0v7jagGgTCTOU4lBioWvJ14hjJ1iIjljjeTmaPcB4IgMZMmpJ0CHcuNCdGTb4pxBUIo66hjn2d0Mj6z9EZY9EH6hUe-aHCTfIW5s/s1600/bighag27.gif" /></a>Additionally I have gotten a bit crafty too.... this is the first year with the exception of my husband's very secular brother there will be no family (except the hubby and I) at the home Seder...I managed to wrangle some Bu-Jews...some UU-Jews...and some non Jews to join us....I see it as a mitzvah to be hosting this second night Seder...</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I decided that for this rag tag array of adults, I am going to try and make it fun...I found a Haggadah, The Santa Cruz Haggadah that is jewishly intact, the 15 required rituals are there, but it it full of fun and meditative extras...if there was a crowd for made for this Haggadah the ones coming to my abode second night are the ones! </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I also saw online a novelty called "A Bag of Plagues"...well I decided this would be an interesting Passover favor to hand out to the guests...but I'm not about to fork over the crazy money being asked for such a trivial thing...no! So I went ahead and made my own! and yes ...after all is said and done, they are cheaper.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnR4v_WXJBZuA5FK4Bz6CXbECWCfwPK8LgFokFpixgeDwVieRXkEtnCoEPMFmszg4iF8tC2SRrbFlwX4hgD1RtN4kTbT-GSZnI7NSAsMJoSeGehCnzmghJLNYMPNpMW-_RPQrKhQZPKI/s1600/passover+plague+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnR4v_WXJBZuA5FK4Bz6CXbECWCfwPK8LgFokFpixgeDwVieRXkEtnCoEPMFmszg4iF8tC2SRrbFlwX4hgD1RtN4kTbT-GSZnI7NSAsMJoSeGehCnzmghJLNYMPNpMW-_RPQrKhQZPKI/s320/passover+plague+2.jpg" width="320" /></a>This was a fun activity...I usually order little plastic prizes for the little kids I see in my mental health therapy practice....behavior modification type work...so I just went to town on the Oriental Trading web site <a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/">http://www.orientaltrading.com/</a></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I found little bead jars that worked wonderfully for the "blood" and "lice." When my husband came home and saw my hands all red...he paused and said, with a certain you look like you have gone mad eyes, "what ya doin' honey?..."Making Blood!" A little kosher for passover red and blue dye, dish soap and potato starch...whala BLOOD! Lice was a bit harder, so I am claiming some Sephardic heritage and used broken pieces of wild rice...if I needed I guess I could have gone out side and found som<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sMpArkVbhpPbUb456j-W2pMvQSPdplJSlrn7jOXoCHF3X_LQTe5Mv9FM4_mm-jmnI8pu2cssBbk-vCN9OXnaluP-kWMz_5WJkCryQGiI6PYO2feKmqq2qdME77r2iApb9FBvaBim3bo/s1600/passover+baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sMpArkVbhpPbUb456j-W2pMvQSPdplJSlrn7jOXoCHF3X_LQTe5Mv9FM4_mm-jmnI8pu2cssBbk-vCN9OXnaluP-kWMz_5WJkCryQGiI6PYO2feKmqq2qdME77r2iApb9FBvaBim3bo/s200/passover+baby.jpg" width="200" /></a>e tiny pebbles and that would have worked too.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So over the past three days I have packed up the dining room (yea hooray we are moving with in a month!) and un-packed all the dishes for the holiday and put them in their place! I'm a moving, packing and now Passover cleaning fool!..If I can catch my breath I will check in again...off to work...yes I still have to work.</div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-71606714822353917742011-04-02T23:43:00.000-04:002011-04-02T23:43:26.528-04:00Saturday Night Date<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQbRuofCmJvdCSKL6cgEs63U2bug0f51sjWsmJQqlNBhKlCJ3xZ5Zv8R0rENywQ6YhLPPag7fe7QlB81uwp1Xy3PkK-RPfQ-_EkZ24VRNmDqDH4QsZz7WA0uCpVPC09thPkYZcTHKVhk0/s1600/kosher+beef.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQbRuofCmJvdCSKL6cgEs63U2bug0f51sjWsmJQqlNBhKlCJ3xZ5Zv8R0rENywQ6YhLPPag7fe7QlB81uwp1Xy3PkK-RPfQ-_EkZ24VRNmDqDH4QsZz7WA0uCpVPC09thPkYZcTHKVhk0/s320/kosher+beef.JPG" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well we know how to have a hot time on the ol' town.... yup we spare no expense! Shopping at the Costco on a Saturday night with my honey...what beats that! All joking aside, really ...I love shopping with my husband, it makes it so much more fun. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I learned recently that the Costco nearest to us has an amazing array of kosher food. The entire on premises bakery is kosher dairy. They had a pretty good cheese collection, along with pre-packaged prepared foods.... and they also had an ok collection of Kosher for Passover stuff as well... never mind that a lot of their grocery items were also kosher as well... </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">who knew! </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br />
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</a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPJHTHdRrMltEGxzWOpyM1lhBJVvA0OLYIOz2oY91X1DmpFOGaa7qszAcxZs1_2x_64fECl7hJUb9R-mTijs2cgAzUBfXa0wVO3MfLS4t2gADWIddEAP-8R2br-CDizjQw9uSnGrIiAQ/s1600/meat+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPJHTHdRrMltEGxzWOpyM1lhBJVvA0OLYIOz2oY91X1DmpFOGaa7qszAcxZs1_2x_64fECl7hJUb9R-mTijs2cgAzUBfXa0wVO3MfLS4t2gADWIddEAP-8R2br-CDizjQw9uSnGrIiAQ/s320/meat+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPc2Wy3_1ek5kzjtY6rwPuX28C5b6Ow4OLeNqs2qIPDTAKOGQQWsZD0EJyx7AkjEiuYWqwzToOAjDPwoVqrmrhn7VRGRjShwIIkyuXAC62zeLCUXxs9FrfZ5PnojbsCg9dszyaUUMdds/s1600/kosher+bruschetta.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPc2Wy3_1ek5kzjtY6rwPuX28C5b6Ow4OLeNqs2qIPDTAKOGQQWsZD0EJyx7AkjEiuYWqwzToOAjDPwoVqrmrhn7VRGRjShwIIkyuXAC62zeLCUXxs9FrfZ5PnojbsCg9dszyaUUMdds/s200/kosher+bruschetta.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPc2Wy3_1ek5kzjtY6rwPuX28C5b6Ow4OLeNqs2qIPDTAKOGQQWsZD0EJyx7AkjEiuYWqwzToOAjDPwoVqrmrhn7VRGRjShwIIkyuXAC62zeLCUXxs9FrfZ5PnojbsCg9dszyaUUMdds/s1600/kosher+bruschetta.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmk4R3exx-x1d7hung7rYc97uP-ZhQqNCkoewRHhS3j1CjJqAzIkRRreYr24JuFz8SU6hSWkuqgz3-7x1c7nvSXDidWONYZg9Pw_p3dqrBXoXovgMSk2yUE5MkK6otCAp7kUwOBaNmr0/s1600/kosherbakery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmk4R3exx-x1d7hung7rYc97uP-ZhQqNCkoewRHhS3j1CjJqAzIkRRreYr24JuFz8SU6hSWkuqgz3-7x1c7nvSXDidWONYZg9Pw_p3dqrBXoXovgMSk2yUE5MkK6otCAp7kUwOBaNmr0/s200/kosherbakery.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPc2Wy3_1ek5kzjtY6rwPuX28C5b6Ow4OLeNqs2qIPDTAKOGQQWsZD0EJyx7AkjEiuYWqwzToOAjDPwoVqrmrhn7VRGRjShwIIkyuXAC62zeLCUXxs9FrfZ5PnojbsCg9dszyaUUMdds/s1600/kosher+bruschetta.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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</div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmk4R3exx-x1d7hung7rYc97uP-ZhQqNCkoewRHhS3j1CjJqAzIkRRreYr24JuFz8SU6hSWkuqgz3-7x1c7nvSXDidWONYZg9Pw_p3dqrBXoXovgMSk2yUE5MkK6otCAp7kUwOBaNmr0/s1600/kosherbakery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-90436672692854201102011-04-01T10:18:00.000-04:002011-04-01T10:18:00.354-04:00Mazel Tov<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mazel Tov To Me!...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ok how arrogant is that...but it is how I feel...Today, April 1st 2011, is the third anniversary of my dunk...of my choosing to join the Jewish people!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Shabbat Shalom!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-8408254807273041462011-03-27T09:45:00.001-04:002011-04-02T23:13:40.530-04:00That Time of Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtU_QOE0iTMiKN-1uCwTCA96wbps5zY83sZEQrE_eHT2qsqLhPhAz5yMIGUIp9vShdQbBCo_UgopBTZVLLghFg3fxYJ-t5mrPZJoclUjXPdRHTwRukCa9n4OKTFW1lAkA_skw7OcUd8SY/s1600/when+do+we+eat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtU_QOE0iTMiKN-1uCwTCA96wbps5zY83sZEQrE_eHT2qsqLhPhAz5yMIGUIp9vShdQbBCo_UgopBTZVLLghFg3fxYJ-t5mrPZJoclUjXPdRHTwRukCa9n4OKTFW1lAkA_skw7OcUd8SY/s640/when+do+we+eat.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hope you all are well....for those of us trying to "get it right" the count down is on!...I have started cleaning and eating down the food stocks...but I must admit I am concerned on a number of fronts...Yes, the usual convert lament about all and any holidays, but this year we have two....yes two more issues to throw into the proverbial kosher for passover stew....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We are trying to sell our house...and hardly no family to celebrate with....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First the house...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We completed the year of mourning for my husband's mother this January and about a month or so later sold her home, my husband's childhood home....So with that we have purchased the home of our dreams, on the water in the town in which we live...one problem...we already have the house we currently live in!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So for the past month we have been trying to get rid of this house! The real estate lady keeps telling me "keep your house neutral!".. meaning make it so anyone can see themselves in it. Well this is impossible once I start the great change over. I'm a busy working person and have little time, so I start moving the passover storage boxes within a two week time of the actual holiday. But this year I need to be quicker...and more organized. This is a very tall order! So this year I think I'm going to try some sort of plastic covering for my porous surfaces...(note to self...when redoing the kitchen in the new house... solid stone!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbznh79ynJttkKqwK0_w-XoTdhB0K19qxDOX3WmWIQhse1q_FPZzENmqLQw_XGnUk4CdieRkVRumC6tPLmjx_RvMNCHEbb2oRG1pZXZ_5tQtZyBHoRmR3UzroL9UzIfgGAzTMzFgrrfs/s1600/Aug._2010_front_garden_005+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbznh79ynJttkKqwK0_w-XoTdhB0K19qxDOX3WmWIQhse1q_FPZzENmqLQw_XGnUk4CdieRkVRumC6tPLmjx_RvMNCHEbb2oRG1pZXZ_5tQtZyBHoRmR3UzroL9UzIfgGAzTMzFgrrfs/s320/Aug._2010_front_garden_005+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Buy my house!...It is in our local Eruv!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So the no family issue makes me sad. My daughter moved across the country to the youth alternative living city of Portland! (any of you see the mini comedic series protlandia?...) My husband's youngest is studying abroad and the oldest is staying put in Boston. With the exception of my husband's brother a secular Jew, and his partner a lovely man from Japan, my husband has no relative in the area and hardly any relatives anywhere!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So in an effort to get a seder that I can enjoy preparing, I have decided to focus on a second night gathering. A lot of folks who are not religious will do a first night but not second...so I can do a mitzvha and have a second night seder for me and invite folks who would more than likely be done with the passover stuff. This is coming along....I have 9 folks including our selves so far and am still waiting on a few others. ....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But what to do about the first night? My fall back is Chabad...but that is a bit out of our element....I am going to try and hint harder over the next few day... wish me luck!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-352534572628941872011-03-27T00:40:00.000-04:002011-03-27T00:40:30.576-04:00Just Because!<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/imOHHGk90KY" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FU1Mj37UqHM" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xMSEFCQCKPo" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-45579244103166881002011-03-21T14:33:00.000-04:002011-03-21T14:33:50.781-04:00Check Out This Cantor!<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lorujGTmM18" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />
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ok I'm biased...this is Cantor Ethan Leifer the Cantor of the Merrick Jewish Center...where I am on the board....take some time to check him out, he is truly gifted!<br />
This video is from a concert held at our synagogue a few weekends ago....there are some other videos from the event on You Tube if you would like to hear more.<br />
He is talented, but he also has been very lovely to me....he has taken the time to hold Hebrew classes which I have attended, and bluntly where I was the slowest learner in the class. He never was anything but supportive of me and I am grateful to him for that!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-73494635790807551522011-03-16T14:04:00.000-04:002011-03-16T14:04:42.241-04:00Macro/MicroWith so many epic, archetypal events, positive, negative and disastrous going on in the world it can seem trivial if down right selfish to be considering my own little world...yet in some ways I believe this is something Judaism give to us...the way to remain focused and together even when the global energies are tearing at the seems. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TdzRuQOVLeIt9NSXeUMFdlykrWBZRUlCK35Qn9-FOha0rCoh2SUpsArGh5v4XNEECgOFrcLNSg-_odDTfZdNHvpdQQ_Kj_Ne-1uSoy-s-NwDDkmtaAaAripXCWPrfphCLi83ZxG3p2Q/s1600/sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TdzRuQOVLeIt9NSXeUMFdlykrWBZRUlCK35Qn9-FOha0rCoh2SUpsArGh5v4XNEECgOFrcLNSg-_odDTfZdNHvpdQQ_Kj_Ne-1uSoy-s-NwDDkmtaAaAripXCWPrfphCLi83ZxG3p2Q/s320/sunset.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We say prayers many times through out the day, we concentrate and what foods etc... yet in keeping ourselves whole and connected to the mundane of life we also connect to the holy...as people struggle in man made and natural life and death encounters through out the world, I get to live.....I get to make a choice...I get to focus on the mindfulness of my daily life.... </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This choosing we can do for ourselves but we also can choose to engage in practice for the sake of the entire world....there is a Buddhist Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, who is fond of saying peace in oneself is peace in the world...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If we can carry the ability to stay focused on the micro while the world spins with the pressing and overwhelming nature of the macro....we are positively giving back to the world......</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-8369239270417975072011-03-11T17:37:00.001-05:002011-03-11T17:38:07.907-05:00Zero Hour....Our Shabbateinu starts this evening... on December 29th the cantor of the shul I attend sent the following:<br />
<br />
hi Karen,<br />
I would like to assign you Shma and V'ahavta for the Friday night service of Shabbateinu? Sound good? I will of course send you a recording.<br />
<br />
<br />
I am not ready...but I think I will never be ready so here comes zero hour! I have had non speaking aliyah during services but I have never had to speak in Hebrew in front of the congregation! I have been listening to the recording given me so much I have been dreaming about the V'ahavta....I'll let you know how it went...........<br />
<br />
Shabbat ShalomUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-88401466777453953132011-03-11T11:28:00.000-05:002011-03-11T11:28:38.880-05:00Purim Song<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kgJInVvJSZg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406407842946398001.post-82793881610724062992011-02-25T16:55:00.002-05:002011-02-25T16:57:05.179-05:005:24<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYABkReUG77i1vhLm_gat7jHxLA9d2LILHPacFzWHIp2NA3dwpXNOkDOYGWFVZDLFlDPwYfbNhuoYV5ZbL21ClsVhDapIfkynvGbfjVRKJ8rD80Lo5FKnEHPa2Z_fOkenqfh8fokEZOc/s1600/flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYABkReUG77i1vhLm_gat7jHxLA9d2LILHPacFzWHIp2NA3dwpXNOkDOYGWFVZDLFlDPwYfbNhuoYV5ZbL21ClsVhDapIfkynvGbfjVRKJ8rD80Lo5FKnEHPa2Z_fOkenqfh8fokEZOc/s320/flower.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><b>Shabbat Candle Lighting Times for New York<br />
Candle lighting: 5:24pm on Friday, 25 February 2011<br />
This week's Torah portion is Parashat Vayakhel<br />
Havdalah (72 min): 6:55pm on Saturday, 26 February 2011</b></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The above type of message comes every week into my email...I get actually several different versions, which due to their own schedules come on different days. I keep on all those lists because it is like a tiny piece of shabbat visiting me during my work week....</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I just want to share something about this notice that makes me extremely happy.............</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><b>5:24 pm!</b></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><b>YEA HOORAY! SPRING IS ON IT'S WAY</b></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Shabbat Shalom Y'all!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><br />
</strong></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0