January 4, 2003
Wow!
Is it really January 3, 2003 ?????!!
Best wishes for a wonderful peaceful, healthy and happy secular new year and a Shabbat Shalom!
Ketchup time!
We had a lovely time at the Bat Mitzvah of my Madrichim student,Jesse Friedman. She is the daughter of Richard Elliot Friedman, Professor of Jewish Studies at UCSD.....The best part was visiting with Jaci Greenspan and her family......Jaci was Dick's student!
Jaci showed me a copy of the beautiful new children's book by her cousin Jeff Bennett.....! It should be out soon.......
We caught up with the Meyers (Gabe and Rebecca's folks) , the Prices (Sarah, Rebecca, David and Aaron(of blessed memory)'s folks) and we visited with everyone's orthodontist Gary Hirsch.
We spent a fun relaxing New Year's Eve with Cara, Marc and family......It's hard to realize that the triplets are seven years old! They are absolutely adorable! Jane and Ami Cohen were there too.....Their girls are soooo grown up and sooooooooo sweet!
They took good care of Abby, Alison (Fisher) and Steve Prager's cutie pie......T'was such a nice way to welcome in the New Year!
I ran (walked) in to Jessica Dubick and then in to David Eisenberg and his little adorable Kaylie at La Jolla cove......and
I saw my first whale of the season..... at the cove......It actually leapt out of the waves.......Ma rabu ma-asecha!
Rick Shumacher has added lots of new photos to our website.....check it out!
madrichim.homestead.com
Remember to click on all of the donation sites!
Stay in touch!
Love,
Eemah
Enjoy!
I hear you are trying to get a hold of me. What's up?
If you don't know the latest, I am a mom (who would guess?) of 2 awesome
little girls -Keeley Anne (3-1/2 yrs) and Sydney Grace (I still wonder about
the religious connotations of that middle name, but I love the sound of it)
who is 10 months.
I am a property manager by day of a 368 unit apartment complex. For the
first time in a long time, I really can't say I love my job, but I also
realize that change may be in the future - either a different boss or being
able to be practically a full time mom. By night, I teach jazz dance at my
mother in laws dance studio in Huntington Beach. When I don't have to
"work" at my day job, our plan is for me to be able to teach more during the
day while the kids are at school. What a dream.
Keeley is going to preschool at Temple Beth El in Aliso Viejo. She loves
it, and they have a great program directed by Terry Fierle. Do you know
her? They teach both Jewish and secular things, but I like the Jewish
touches they have - making challah on Friday, doing Shabbat, teaching the
holidays. It has brought back some of the religious feelings I lost in the
past. I hope the girls have a strong religious background like we had. Of
course, hind sight, I wish I would have held onto the traditions and holiday
celebrations a bit better than I had. Well, it's never too late to regain
those feelings and start new ones. My husband is not Jewish, but is a good
sport about going to Tot Shabbat, having Shabbat dinner when it was Keeley's
turn to get the Shabbat bag in her class, and doing "the holidays." We
celebrate Christmas and Easter too, without the church going. I don't think
the kids will be too screwed up. :)
My husband, Bob, is great. He is a chiropractor, a good one, who is just
begining to get his practice off the ground. He is very Tim Allen like,
loves cars, mechanical stuff, grunt, grunt, grunt.
Talk to you later, I am being called to a slumber/tea party in my daughter's
room.
Marji (Goldzband) Himes
Dear Eemah,
Congrats on the site. Very exciting. Wish I could be there to be a camp counselor again :). CBI ended too soon.
Love ya,
Becky (Barth)
Hi Eemah!
How are you? It's been awhile since I've seen you, I'd love to show you baby Maia before she gets bat mitzvahed. We are in and out of town until Dec 14, but any time after that while you are on vacation from school would be good for us to swing by. I'm sure you'll be skiing in Taos or something like that, but let me know, we can even put it in the calendar if you'd like. In fact, her baby naming will be Feb 7, 2003 at TBI, so put that in your calendar, we'd love to have you there.
As far as people go, I ran into Mimi Allen a few weeks back at Jennifer Tabak's birthday (Bonnie's daughter). She lives in SD again
Howie (Fram)
Tell me more about the Community Camp...Where is the new site? What will be happening there? It sounds interesting--maybe I can be of help during the summer?! Shabbat Shalom!
Jaquie Fine
Subject: A Jewish Guide to Shoveling Snow
------------------------------------------------------------
Ariel Sharon - "The important thing is to shovel the entire
width and breadth of the driveway, regardless of what
anyone else thinks."
Ehud Barak - "You must shovel most of the driveway,
but the exact dimensions of shoveling will be determined in
discussions with our neighbors. No wait, you can shovel
only in places where snow had previously fallen, but you
cannot shovel in places where no snow had fallen - wait,
Yossi Sarid - "You should not shovel any part of the
driveway, since you really do not have any valid
historical or legal claim to the driveway, and it will
soon be given back to its rightful owners."
Artscroll Hilchos Sheleg ("Laws Regarding Snow; Ashkenaz
version, chapter 5) - "First approach the snow with the
proper kavanah, meditating on the concept of snow removal.
Recite the "...Who commanded us concerning the shoveling of
snow" benediction," then take three steps back, bend the
knees slightly with feet together, then look at the snow,
lift shovel and dig, turning right and then left, bend
knees fully, take three steps forward and deposit snow
deliberately. Repeat until done, then recite the
Sheheheyanu benediction, go indoors and have a hot drink,
remembering to say the Shehakol brocha (see Artscroll
Hilchos on Drinking Hot Liquids)..."
Tikkun Magazine - "What right do we have to violently take
snow from its rightful resting place? Snow has rights: each
snowflake is a unique individual, and we have absolutely no
right to do anything with it. Let the snow decide for
itself what it wishes to do, and then if it wishes to be
shoveled, do so humanely."
Rashi - "Snow, this is a form of solid precipitation that
clings to one's beard if you remain outside too long in
the winter season. (Old French: neige). Shoveling is a
Rabbinic precept, based on the verse in Isaiah 1:18
- "If your sins be like scarlet, they will turn as white as
snows"
Birthright Israel - "It does not matter how the shoveling
is done, but the very act of a young Jew shoveling snow for
ten consecutive days, under proper supervision will have a
lifelong impact on Jewish identity."
Meir Ben-Meir (Israeli Water Commissioner) - "Just shovel
the snow as fast as you can, and ship it here. We are
running out of water fast! Is anyone listening to me?"
Rabbi David Hartman - "Snow is a potent force in the world
which unites all Jews. It falls on us all,regardless of
religious denomination and belief, and is therefore
instrumental in our understanding of Jewish unity and
diversity. In fact, just this week, I was explaining the
significance of snow to the Prime Minister, President
Weizman, President Clinton, and His Holiness the Pope, who
had asked my opinion."
The Late Lubavitcher Rebbe (from an epistle to a disciple)
- "Shoveling snow is a distraction from our efforts to
bring Moshiach, may He come soon, when in any case there
will be no snow to shovel. So leave it and let it melt. If
the Messiah does not come by Shavuos, the snow will have
miraculously disappeared anyway."
