November 16, 2002
Howdy and Shabbat Shalom!
We just returned from a wonderful Bar Mitzvah and a lovely party cruising around Mission Bay.......What a magnificent day!
It's hard to realize that it really is November..........Of course last weekend it rained and stormed for 7th grade camp......Yes I am still going to camp.......I do love that feeling of community that only happens is a camp setting......Jared, Jaci Greenspan's oldest son was on staff!
What an absolutely fabulous young man!
Let's seeeeee .......... Here is some of the latest news................David Eisenberg and Vicki had a baby girl, Nikki Raffer had a baby girl......and........Mike Trimble's adorable son is in preschool at Beth Israel.......
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR MAD WEB PAGE.......RICK SHUMACHER HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB.......LOTS OF NEW PHOTOS! SOME DATE BACK TO FIDDLER IN 1969!!
Have a peaceful, restful Shabbat!
Love,
Eemah
Here is some stuff:
Ari, JJ and Cory Gass's grandmother is in my adult B'nai Mitzvah class along with Cathy Kamin, Debbie Chester Geary, Jackie Fine's stepmother, Stephanie Hall's Dad and lots of other lovely people!
Eemah,
What a treat it was to hear that my Oma, Karola Loeb has such a good teacher for her adult B'nai Mitzvah class. I promise that she will be a good student and I can guarantee you that she will not spend as much time in your office for time out as I did.
My mom has probably updated you on all of the news with us, but, if not, here it is for me:
I now live in Arlington, Virginia with my wife Gwen and son Benjamin, who is all of three weeks old now. (He was born October 4, 2002.) We've lived in the DC area for seven years and in Arlington for the past three. I work as a consultant for ACS, a company which provides databases for government offices. My wife works as a director of graduate student services at American University. Young Benjamin is not yet employed in any meaningful way.
I think that is it for the bio. It was nice to get a quick look around the Madrichim website and see some familiar names including Ian Baronofsky, Jodi Feinstein and Tammy and Louie Vener.
We do get back to San Diego once or twice a year and will be there in just a few weeks. Please let me know if Oma is not keeping up on her classwork and I will speak with her when I am there. :-)
Hope all is well.
Corey
P.S. JJ's e-mail address is jjgass@rcn.com. I've cc'd him on this since I am not sure if he received your original message.
Shalom! How are you doing? I am having a great time in SLO. I am an agricultural science major with a concentration in animal science. So I am planning on being a science teacher. I do not know if my father has told you but I am in a sorority. I am in Kappa Alpha Theta. I love it. The girls are so nice. I have also been to Hillel a couple of time. Well, I think that I was in the Madrichim class of 1999 or 2000. How is everything going at CBI?
Stephanie Hall
Eemah:
Vicki and I just had our first baby. She was born at home on Sunday October 20. Vicki and I birthed her in our hot tub where the three of us remained for 40 minutes just enjoying the miracle of life. She weighed 6 lbs 10 oz. She is still without a name.
Eemah:
I just wanted to drop you a little note and say hello. I really have been enjoying your updates, feels like yesterday when I was in Madracheim. Much to share with you but first I wanted to let you know that Brandon Alexander Trimble is in Miss Tessa's preschool class at TBI. Today was Dad's day to come to share Shabbat lunch with the little ones. I was so much fun. I can't believe how old he is getting. I will stop by to see you the next time I bring him to school. Let me know where you are located in the building. Attached is a photo of the little man. Have a great weekend. Say hello to Lani and Daniel for me.
Take Care,
Michael Trimble
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(from Max Gendelman)
In a negotiation with the authorities, a Talmudist from Odessa was granted permission to visit Moscow. He boarded the train and found an empty seat. At the next stop a young man got on and sat next to him.
The scholar looked at the young man and thought: This fellow doesn't look like a peasant, and if he isn't a peasant he probably comes from this district.
If he comes from this district, then he must be Jewish because this is, after all, a Jewish district. On the other hand, if he is a Jew, where could he be going? I'm the only Jew in our district who has permission to travel to Moscow. Ahh? But just outside Moscow there is a little village called Samvet, and Jews don't need special permission to go there.
But why would he be going to Samvet? He's probably going to visit one of the Jewish families there, but how many Jewish families are there in Samvet? Only two - the Bernsteins and the Steinbergs.
The Bernstein?s are a terrible family, and a nice looking fellow like him must be visiting the Steinbergs. But why is he going? The Steinbergs have only daughters, so maybe he's their son-in-law. But if he is, then which daughter did he marry? They say that Sarah married a nice lawyer from Budapest,and Esther married a businessman from Zhitomer, so it must be Sarah's husband. Which means that his name is Alexander Cohen, if I'm not mistaken. But if he comes from Budapest, with all the anti-Semitism they have there, he must have changed his name. What's the Hungarian equivalent of Cohen? Kovacs.
But if they allowed him to change his name, he must have some special status. What could it be? A doctorate from the University. At this point the scholar turns to the young man and says, "How do you do, Dr. Kovacs?"
"Very well, thank you, sir." answered the startled passenger. "But how is it that you know my name?"
"Oh," replied the Talmudist, "it was obvious" .
HI,
Here's Jeff (Bennett)'s website. There is a preview of the book "Max Goes to the
Moon" there. He's still waiting for his shipment to come in sometime this
month. He told me that if anyone wants to pre-order the book the special
price would be $15 and $1 for shipping. If I give him a list of names he
will personally sign each copy and then send them to me to distribute.
So if you can, take a look and see what you think. If you like it please
spread the word.
Thanks.
Erica
If you happen to be awake.....
From: Jeff Bennett <jbennett@casa.colorado.edu>
Subject: Leonid meteor shower
Dear Friends, This coming Monday night (actually early Tuesday am, Nov.
19) is the time to go out and watch the Leonid meteor shower. It's
predicted to be a great show, with hundreds of meteors per hour at its
peak. NASA Science News has an excellent article, which includes a list of
peak times for cities around the world:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/09oct_leonidsforecast.htm?list146819 .
I suggest using the NASA article to find the peak time for your city. (In
Denver/Boulder, for example, the shower should peak a little before 4am.)
Wake up and plan to spend an hour or more outside, starting at least a
half-hour before the peak time. As always, it's worth a drive to a dark
site, but many meteors are bright enough that you'll see them even in town
if it's clear. Good luck! Jeff PS. For those who might be interested: my
first children's book, Max Goes to the Moon, is now published. You can
preview the book at http://www.bigkidscience.com/ (choose the "read the
book" option on the home page). Copies will be available from the web site
in December and in bookstores by March. Information about my other recent
books, including Life in the Universe and Statistical Reasoning for
Everyday Life, can be found on my personal web page
http://www.jeffreybennett.com ... --
Jeffrey Bennett jbennett@casa.colorado.edu
http://www.jeffreybennett.com
************************************************* View my new children's
book: MAX GOES TO THE MOON at http://www.bigkidscience.com/
*************************************************
Thought you would find this of interest.
Carol Stovin
Subject: The ARZA Rabbinic Mission to Israel
Dear Parents,
As you may know from my absence in carpool, I am currently in Israel. Our mission left from Newark Airport on Saturday night, and we return home Friday afternoon. We are now more than halfway through the trip; it is late afternoon here, and tomorrow is our last full day.
This has been a difficult visit for all of us. Many of us have seen Israel in the best of times, and at the most trying of times. The climate here is worse than any of us remember. There is an exhaustion here, and a feeling that no one has a clear vision for how things will get better, or when.
Economically, a combination of factors have combined to create high unemployment and stagnation. In the past decade, Israel absorbed over 1,000,000 new immigrants from the Former Soviet Union, Ethiopia and South America. All of them arrived with many needs. At the same time, the extra costs of defending the citizens of Israel from the vicious wave of random attacks has been enormous. These attacks have also almost completely stopped the tourist industry-the economic value of tourism last year was the same as it was in 1966! Finally, all this occurs at a time when many of Israel's trading partners are "reluctant" to enter deals with her as they participate in an undeclared and unofficial boycott.
The government here is showing signs of the strains of managing so many crises simultaneously. During our visit to the Knesset, an Israeli Arab member of Knesset accused the government of being a "Blood-government" repeatedly on the floor of Knesset. This resulted in a request to have him removed from the floor. Ultimately, a scuffle nearly broke out, forcing the closure of the debate and a recess in the deliberations over a no-confidence vote that would force the dissolution of the present coalition and early elections this winter or early spring.
Miraculously, Israelis seem to have adjusted to the reign of terror of the suicide bombers. Thank God, there seems to be a lull over the past two or three months. Most of the bombings have been confined to areas outside of the Green Line (the pre-1967 borders) This lull has allowed 30 missions to travel to Israel this week alone. We have all made a point of spending money in the few free minutes we have. In one shop that I have always taken students to visit, the owner made more sales in 2 hours than he had in the previous four months.
It is an honor to be here representing you. Israelis are famous for their resiliency and strength in the face of enormous challenges. They have been there for us for more than a half century. They take in the stateless Jews driven out of their countries by anti-Semitic governments, they protect our fellow Jews who are weak and defenseless, they provide us with teachers and leaders. Today, Israelis need us, perhaps more than ever before in their history. Each and every speaker has thanked us for coming, and tears come to their eyes when they say how much it means to them that they have not been abandoned by their Jewish "family" in America!
I will try to write to you tomorrow; I also look forward to sharing my experiences with you when I return next week.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Steven Ballaban
Subject: 5 Great Lessons!!!
1 - The Most Important Lesson
During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?
I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.
Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'."
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.
2 - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain
One night, at 11:30 PM, an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s.
The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him.
Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached.
It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."
Sincerely,
Mrs. Nat King Cole
3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.
"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.
"Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.
By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.
"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied. The little boy again counted his coins.
"I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.
When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.
4 - Fourth Important Lesson - The Obstacle in Our Path
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.
After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand.
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.
5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.
The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her."
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.
You see, after all, understanding and attitude are everything.
Now you have 2 choices....
1. Delete this email, or
2. Forward it to people you care about.
I hope that you will choose No. 2 and remember..... "Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like nobody's watching."
