We have this statue down the street from our house. It’s referred to as the “Doughboy.” That’s where the Memorial Day parade today ends.
American men who fought in World War I in France were called “doughboys.” It’s such a strange name, I decided to find out how the name came to be. The term goes back as far as the Mexican-American War of 1846-47, referring to the infantry.
From this site on World War I:
Independently, in the former colonies, the term had come to be applied to baker’s young apprentices, i.e. dough-boys. Again, American soldiers probably were familiar with this usage. This version of doughboy was also something of a distant relative to “dough-head”, a colloquialism for stupidity in 19th Century America. When doughboy was finally to find a home with the U.S. Army it would have a disparaging connotation, used most often by cavalrymen looking down [quite literally] on the foot-bound infantry.
More on Memorial Day:
This year Lag B’Omer and Memorial Day are three days apart. Interestingly, both holidays have similar themes: people died, let’s have a barbecue.
Lag B’Omer is the anniversary of the death of Torah sage Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yohai. It also commemorates Rabbi Akiva’s 24,000 students who stopped dying from a mysterious plague on this day. (However, one friend did say they stopped dying because there were none left, so he’s not sure what the celebration is about). I was once in Israel on Lag B’Omer; there are bonfires everywhere. I have always wondered how the country, being so dry, manages not to burn itself down on this day. Batya shows a campfire being built here.
It sounds like the day is not without problems, as rabbis recently warned:
Lag Ba’omer bonfire fans should be careful not to cause monetary or environmental damage in their enthusiasm to celebrate, cautioned the two Israeli chief rabbis in an announcement.
“When God created Adam he took him and showed him all the trees in Gan Eden,” quoted rabbis Shlomo Amar and Yona Metzger from ancient homiletic literature (Kohelet Raba). “God said to him, ‘Look at all my creations, how magnificent they are. All that I have created is for you. Be sure not to destroy my world, because if you do there is no one who can repair it.”
[snip]
However, preparations for Lag Ba’omer, such as the gathering of wood and other combustibles, often involve the stealing of private property by overly enthusiastic children. In addition, the large amount of smoke emitted by the fires is detrimental to the environment.
In addition, just before and during Lag Ba’omer, Magen David Adom receives double the regular number of calls from children and teenagers who have been accidentally burned or hurt preparing bonfires.
The chief rabbis urged the Jews of Israel to be careful with their bonfires to prevent unnecessary damage. They also called for the public to be scrupulous in protecting private property.
In America, we often forget why we celebrate holidays. What’s this one for? Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service.
Memorial Day in Highland Park is a lot of fun because the annual parade. In the past, when my son was a Cub Scout (and for four years I was the Den Mother), we would march together down Raritan Avenue:
This is the 2004 Memorial Day Parade. I’m wearing the orange t-shirt. Note the price of gas.
This year, however, my son is a Boy Scout, and he will be on Boy Scout Kinus, the weekend camping trip. He was disappointed to hear that the local Boy Scouts don’t march in the local parade because it conflicts with Kinus. I didn’t know he liked the march so much! All I remember are the complaints about needing to walk so far. And the complaints about being told by adults to smile at the crowds.
Are you celebrating either holiday? Any interesting plans?
One of the best annual events in Highland Park, New Jersey is the street fair. Traffic is closed from 12-4 pm along Raritan Avenue, the main street in our borough. Booths line the avenue from 5th to 2nd Avenue.
Here’s what my son and his friend chose to do:
If you are in pain, pay a visit to my friend Diana Hakakian, chiropractor:
Kosher pizza for sale, too:
My friend Iola tried to get me to join Hadassah.
Politicians, potters, ponies and people selling various stuff also graced the avenue.
Unfortunately, the rain did come down on my husband, daughter, son and his friend. My other son and I managed to walk the fair without any drops falling.
For more street fair photos, see the environmental booths here.
A Highland Park mom is pushing for uniforms, prayer in public schools. (I had to check several times to make sure it was New Jersey–there’s a Highland Park in Illinois and one in Texas and others, too).
Here’s the story:
HIGHLAND PARK — Parent Karen Blount-Torres is saying “Enough.”
The Highland Park resident said the rising incidence of sexual harrassment in New Jersey schools has gotten to her.
And she wants to do something about it.
She started a signature drive for a petition to introduce uniforms and prayer into the New Jersey school system — as a solution to the problem.
Blount-Torres said the recent incident in South Brunswick, where a teacher was allegedly involved with a student, was the last straw.
‘I’m simply tired, there’s so much mess going on in the world,” she said.
The 38-year-old mother of three children, who are in the school system, said she looks back to the old days when she was a student and prayer was a part of school.
She said reintroducing a common prayer that does not offend any religion will help the students and staff realize their purpose in school and focus on it.
She also strongly believes that a uniform system would require students to cover up and bring back standards and principles to the system.
Uniforms for students will ensure that “the staff can identify them as children and not adults.” It would also save money for parents, she said.
Blount-Torres, who has served on the Parent Advisory board for Highland Park High School and on the PTO committee board, said she has seen firsthand how the clothes worn by the students can be distracting.
‘The prayers and uniforms will keep both staff and students safe,” she said.
A week ago, she started a signature drive, getting people throughout Middlesex County to sign a petition that asks to include prayer and uniform in the school system.
She has been out at barber shops, diners, stores, Dunkin Donuts, Sam’s Club and other stores. Her efforts have led to a record 700 signatures in the first week itself.
So I have this idea to interview interesting individuals in Highland Park on this blog. For example, someone here was one of the only women among thousands of Breslov men who visit the grave of Rebbe Nachman in the Ukraine. Yesterday, Mark Shoulson was mentioned on this post on Deciphering Samaritan. And my friend Elisheva aka Liselle could talk all about hypnotherapy or about the Algerian Civil War and how the Jews got *&$#@!ed (misled?) by the French government.
Here’s where I need your help: I don’t know what to ask. I’ve never done an interview before. What would you ask? Thanks.
Ever wonder if your blogging can have effect? This morning I woke up and found this:
Remembering in New Jersey
So I felt I should share with you the next day as well, the annual RPRY Yom Ha’Atzmaut parade, which is always a lot of fun. This year, the sky was rather cloudy. But out came many people: students, teachers, parents, neighbors. We march around the block.
I enjoyed talking with some other moms about my chauffeuring 5 teenage boys to Teaneck on Tuesday, and how as a mom of a teenager you are “not supposed to say anything in the car.” No adding your own jokes, no reflections on the conversation.
In the end, it did rain on our parade.
But I had brought my daughter’s treasured umbrella, and she enjoyed sharing it with a friend.
Some of the littlest children went for shelter on a porch:
We had live musicians accompanying the parade, too, to add to the merriment.
The younger children returned to their classrooms, and the older children, such as my boys, continued the celebration with dancing in the gym.
On my walk home, I was tempted to take some photos of some of the homes with Israeli flags. Instead, take a look at all the flags in the Tel Aviv area here.
Notable Links from the Internet:
The Best Overall:
On Israel:
Art Links:
- Parshat Acharei Mot: Leviticus 16:10 Scapegoat by by William Holman Hunt
וְהַשָּׂעִיר, אֲשֶׁר עָלָה עָלָיו הַגּוֹרָל לַעֲזָאזֵל, יָעֳמַד-חַי לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, לְכַפֵּר עָלָיו–לְשַׁלַּח אֹתוֹ לַעֲזָאזֵל הַמִּדְבָּרָה
“But the goat, on which the lot fell for Azazel, shall be set alive before the LORD, to make atonement over him, to send him away for Azazel into the wilderness.”
This a good example of a pre-Raphaelite school painting.
- Israel Broytman, painter
Famous Bloggers:
From this article:
Male bloggers tend to write about politics, technology and money; women are more likely to blog about their private lives and use an intimate style of writing.
At some point, I may do a post about women bloggers. Especially on how they deal with conflict. If anyone finds any relevant links, feel free to leave them in the comments. Or any of your own experiences with conflict and blogging. (Jack tried to help me find some a few weeks back, but the ones he sent me didn’t seem to fit my idea. Thanks for trying, Jack).
This post is for: Batya
Last night we went to a Yom HaZikaron service at RPRY, my children’s Jewish Day School. The school is in Edison, NJ, which borders Highland Park (it is only an eight minute walk from our home). The evening began with a memorial of the Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva students that died in the recent terror attack. Because my son is in eighth grade, he was part of the ceremony.
The boys entered on one side of the gym holding yahrzeit (memorial) candles; the girls came in on the other side of the gym. In small groups they came up to the stage and told a little of the story of each of the dead students. On the wall behind the stage was a slide show of the each of the murdered students.
Just by coincidence, my son spoke about Yonatan Yitzchak Eldar of Shiloh, where Batya is from. So I dedicate this post to Batya.
My five-year-old daughter startled as they sounded a siren similar to the one heard in Israel on Yom HaZikaron. “What’s that?” she looked up at me. “Shhh,” I replied, “I’ll explain later.” When the siren ended, I explained to her how people in Israel stop for one minute when they hear the siren. To remember the fallen soldiers, I think I said. I don’t know how much she understood, but I tried.
Later, a speaker from Israel who is visiting for a year spoke about the progress and problems in Israel. I missed most of the talk because I went out with my five-year-old. He said he is considered an Israeli in America and an American in Israel (like Batya, he came to Israel 38 years ago). There was also a special ma’ariv service (which I also missed). I was outside talking with some women about the ridiculous choices the New York Times makes for front page news from Israel on Yom HaZikaron (one of the women told the other woman, who had just come off the plane that morning from a visit to Israel, that she shouldn’t be subscribing to the New York Times!).
Happy Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel Independence Day).
First, because this is a post for the wonderful Kosher Cooking Carnival, two watercolors:
Recently I posted about the health values of garlic. One quality of garlic is if you cook it, it loses much of its pungency and instead becomes sweet. I learned this recipe while standing online at our local Glatt 27(it is called 27 because it is on Rte. 27). The woman in front of me told me she makes this every Friday afternoon. Her kids like it so much they peel all the cloves. No such luck with my children; Eldest Son just looked over my shoulder at this post and called it evil.
Ingredients:
- One bulb of garlic, peeled
- Dried oregano (you could also use parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme or basil)
- Touch of salt to taste
- Broth or water
You need a little baking dish for this recipe. Here’s mine:
First, peel the whole bulb of garlic and put all the cloves in your baking dish. Cover with water (the woman on line uses chicken broth from her soup). Sprinkle with oregano and salt. Bake covered in the oven for about thirty minutes at 350° and mash with a fork. You can serve it in its baking dish.
I don’t like reheating it; it loses too much flavor. Serve as a spread for challah, matzah or crackers. Enjoy!
See photo of baked garlic spread
See larger version of garlic watercolors
Bonus question: which watercolor did I do first?
From sad portraits of Jews to intricate mosaics, Ilana Shafir has created many works of art. I had the pleasure of attending a Highland Park Arts Commission lecture Thursday night (thanks, Jill, for getting me out of the house) where Ilana spoke to a full audience.
Ilana was born in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. She always wanted to study art formally, but as a teenager there was no opportunity. Then the Nazis invaded. Her family managed to escape to a little village called Kula, where she drew portraits of the villagers. When asked how she managed to get art supplies during the war, she replied: “It was a miracle.” After the war, she studied at the Art Academy of Zagreb. In 1949 she made Aliyah (moved to Israel). She settled in Ashkelon, where she still lives today, with a garden full of her mosaics and her whimsical ceramic creatures.
In order to find models for her portraits in her early days in Israel, she went to the local “ma’abara” (transit camp) and created sketches, paintings and prints of the exotic (to her European eyes) residents from Yemen, North Africa, and other areas of the world where Jews had left to come to Israel. I was disappointed that these lovely portraits as well as earlier ones from her European days, which she showed us in her slide show, are not on her website.
At some point someone said to her: “Who is going to hang portraits of sad Jews in their museum?” Around the same time she developed an allergy to turpentine. At first she wore gloves, but this was not enough. She told us a funny aside, that on Purim, when the kids dressed up as artists in Ashkelon, they wore gloves!
Her art style switched to fantastic ink and watercolor paintings, ceramic creatures, and finally, the medium she loves the most, mosaic. She told us it takes 6-7 months for her to complete a mosaic. Talk about stamina and drive.
If you are in Ashkelon, her mosaics are on display in various public places, including a syngagogue, where her mosaic of Jerusalem has the names of family members who perished in the Holocaust and a “Z”, standing for the star Jews had to wear in Sarajevo during the war. Other Jewish themes are the Burning Bush (shown under her photo on this post) and the Tree of Life (with one tree on top of another, each generation has its roots in the former generation, she explained).
The presentation was an introduction by her daughter, a talk by Ilana with slide show, and a short movie by her son, Giora. Learn more: http://www.shafirart.com/
