Here’s my daughter getting ready to dance tap on stage last Saturday night. This is my entry for Straight Out of the Camera, hosted by Jan on Murrieta 365.
A review of Two Lives by Vikram Seth – “From 1908 India, to 1908 Germany, and the years that follow in a Germany ruled by Hitler, we follow the journey of Shanti and Helga, to England, and also the journey of the author, Vikram Seth, into the lives of this childless couple.”
My favorite comment this week by Mrs. S: “The Sephardim follow the Shulchan Aruch (R’ Yosef Karo), who – in this case – follows the Ashkenazi Tosafot. Meanwhile, the Ashkenazim follow the Rama (R’ Moshe Isserles), who – in this case – follows the Rambam (Maimonides – not the Ramban (Nachmanides)). This is unusual, because in general, the Shulchan Aruch tends to follow the Rambam, and the Rama doesn’t.” Got that?
Daniel reviews The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon: “The premise is that the nascent State of Israel was destroyed by the Arab League in 1948. The survivors of the Holocaust and the Arab massacre were granted a sixty year lease…”
Tomorrow is the last day of the Highland Park Farmer’s Market for the 2010 season. I will miss my Friday visits to see the vegetables, fruits and flowers. And of course, chat with the people. This past week I met Debbie at the market, whom you can read about in this interview.
On My Blog
Linda’s Recital on Sunday at Etz Ahaim in Highland Park – bassoon and piano
Elsewhere in the Blogosphere
Batya put together a nice Meet the Blogs post. Thank you for the mention, Batya.
Factual Friday is cool. For example, Mrs. S. has more friends on Facebook than Mr. S. – isn’t that a precious fact? 😉 Seems to have something to do with blogger friends.
Hannah posted about a program to teach empathy called Bullies and Babies. Some commentators are skeptical: does this work?
Today is Veteran’s Day here in the United States, where we honor those who served in the military. In our little borough of Highland Park, New Jersey there is an annual parade down Raritan Avenue. Before the parade we (eighth grade boys of RPRY, two teachers and some parents) met with the Jewish War Veterans. The veterans told us some tales of their experiences in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. One veteran, a ninety year old man, invited us to join them at a special service tomorrow at 10:30 am at the Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Home (I kept thinking, but all these boys have school tomorrow…). This veteran led the group in saying the Mourner’s Kaddish. I hope to post photos next week.
Momma pride time: Both my boys won their Torah Bowl tournaments. Scores were RPRY 4-0 (middle school) and TABC 5-0 (high school). That means that their teams beat all the other schools. Oh, and I heard from a few birdies that my middle son answered a ton of questions. So proud of them!
Elinka posted the artwork of Jack Levine, who died this past week. We had prints of his paintings in our hallway when I was a child. Was Hezekiah one of them? His painting of Maimonides also looks familiar.
Red Leaves in East Brunswick, New Jersey
We visited the Butterfly Park in East Brunswick last Sunday. I was planning to post a Nature Notes about the park (didn’t happen! not enough hours or energy in a week); instead, I have material for next week’s Nature Notes.
Elsewhere in the Blogosphere
Jew Wishes reviewed Irretrievably Broken by Irma Fritz, saying “Fritz has woven a tapestry that is profound and compelling within the pages of Irretrievably Broken.” She also has a post with photos by Irma Fritz of Wernher von Braun’s lab at Peenemunde (links no longer exist).
Funeral plans are in the process, and we’ll post them as soon as we know.
May RivkA’s family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.”
One more update, a parsha thought on Hayye Sarah by Jeffrey Woolf: “Abraham came to Hevron to eulogize Sarah and to cry for her. The Rav זצ”ל used to emphasize that ordinarily the order is the reverse. First once cries. Only after time passes and perspective returns, can one eulogize the departed and evaluate who they were.
Sometimes, though, one is obligated to suppress one’s primal shriek of pain in order to tell the world just who the person was who has gone. That way, the Rav said, we try to involve as many people as possible in mourning the tragedy. Once the eulogy is achieved, we may all let ourselves go and cry out in pain.”
Fading Rudbeckia with Purple Verbena in the Background
On My Blog
It’s been a while since I did a review, so perhaps this should be a month in review (or two months?). Jewish holidays can do that to you – you can’t remember what it was you were planning in mid August, and all of a sudden it’s October. I was very busy putting up the films for the Rutgers New Jersey Jewish Film Festival in September – if you live in New Jersey, I hope you will see one of the films!
Sign Outside West Side Story Theater: Electrifying, Powerful and Brilliant
We (my daughter and I) went to see West Side Story on Broadway this week with her theater camp. Tomorrow she performs in a Broadway Spectacular at Middlesex County College – she is in a skit of Peter Pan.
On My Blog
Elsewhere in the Blogosphere
Mrs. S. and family visited Tel Chatzor: looks like an enjoyable place to learn history and have a picnic.
