Israel Again

Hopefully the spring of 2015 will bring my third journey to Israel. A group of friends, Jews and Christians, are planning a "Biblical Heritage" tour in the spring and the itinerary is different enough from what I've seen in the past that I am getting excited. The price is right too; how can we say no?

Places I'm especially looking forward to (just a small sample):

Tel Dan, a city mentioned in the Bible, described as the northernmost city of the Kingdom of Israel, belonging to the Tribe of Dan

Mt. Bental, a lookout point where we can see the "Road to Damascus"

Mt. Carmel, the "Place of Sacrifice" where the Prophet Elijah had an encounter with the Priests of Baal
  
Elijah's Cave in the city of Haifa and Nazareth in the hill country of the Galilee where Jesus grew to manhood

Nazareth Village, a reconstructed village that brings to life a farm and Galilean village as it was 2,000 years ago

Megiddo, where by Christian belief, the Messiah will return to earth and defeat the Antichrist (the "beast") in the battle of Armageddon

Capernaum, which in Jesus' time was a flourishing border town and was called "his own city"

Mt. Scopus overlooking ancient and modern Jerusalem

How did we miss these on our last visit (which I thought was extremely comprehensive)?

Life is short and these are the years to realize dreams that may have been suppressed by work and earning a living. Retirement can truly be the best time of your life but we all know that can change in an instant...

Shalom again Yisrael!

;-)

Hallelujah

I tossed and turned last night reflecting on the rewrite of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah and it's transformation into a Christian hymn. Is it now a "holy" or a "broken" Hallelujah as this article asks?

I wrestled with my thoughts. On one hand, Leonard Cohen (now 80) himself has not appeared to object. I guess the song, after thirty years, is in the public domain. The Christian version is indeed moving and the song is not an overtly "Jewish" one. So why does this bother me? Apparently I am not the only one to feel a little what? depressed? betrayed? ripped off?

Here's what I came up with. The song is deeply spiritual, if not outright religious in nature. It evokes images of Jewish longing and anguish, of King David, Samson, and Bathsheba. It encapsulates a Jewish feeling of mourning and melancholy that Leonard Cohen captured perfectly. To alter it, even for a beautiful purpose, seems wrong or at least slightly stinky.

Of course I had to smile a bit when I read this: “When we rewrote the lyrics, I had no idea Leonard Cohen was Jewish." Duh. With a name like that what did he think?

I am a fan of Leonard Cohen's and proud to say he is a Landsman. But Hallelujah, believe it or not, is not my favorite.  Don't mess with Dance Me To The End of Love (see my blog 8/14/2013)!

Hallelujah!

;-)

The Rugs

New Rug

I always admired hubby's grandmother's oriental rug and wished it were mine. I was absolutely over-the-moon thrilled when hubby's mom said I could have it! I had it shipped to Florida and over the years I have taken excellent care of it by having it professionally cleaned and maintained by oriental rug experts.  It is the centerpiece of my home and I knew our new house was the one for us when I saw how well the silk draperies in the living room would compliment grandma's rug.

Grandma M's rug

Truth Be Told, the adjacent dining room would benefit from a nice rug too but I never wanted to buy one because I knew any rug would look cheap compared to grandma's.  But a few days ago I spotted a companion rug in an antique mall that blew me away. Although not a match, it is obviously of the same genre and pedigree. We bought it on the spot and now it resides with the local oriental rug specialist (Amazing! There actually is one in our area!) awaiting a thorough cleaning and a new custom pad. This will take five weeks but I'm hoping it will be ready before I host the neighborhood Maj Jong ladies in February.

Both rugs are Sarouks, circa 1920, the era when no self respecting home would be without an oriental rug.  I have heard appraisals for similar rugs ranging from $3,000. to $20,000. but their monetary worth is none of my concern. I love them and I'm sure that barring a horrible financial reversal (poo poo poo) I will own and enjoy them for the rest of my life.

Thanks Grandma M and Mama G for the heirloom!  Can't wait for it's partner to arrive home...

;-)

Torah Roundtable

I went to a "Torah Study Roundtable" last week, hosted by the rabbi of the congregation in nearby Leesburg Florida. It was well attended and the discussion was mostly about the origin of various Christmas symbols: wreaths, trees, lights, Santa, candy canes, stockings, gifts etc.  The rabbi's premise was that since many of these traditions came about though non-religious customs, couldn't we, as Jews, adopt them in our own homes as part of our holiday celebrations? 

She went around the room soliciting opinions.  Mine was the following: "I am Jewish. If Christians have adopted certain symbols and customs as part of their religious celebration, those symbols have no place in my home."

My opinion was the shortest anyone offered.  Most people went on and on about how they or their children "celebrated both holidays" due to mixed marriages. Only one or two professed to have Jewish children and grandchildren that only celebrated Chanukah. Several said that their Christian in-laws "loved Jewish stuff" and boasted that she or he could "even say the blessings in Hebrew".  It was a little depressing. 

One argument was that "the children" are upset that "Santa doesn't love Jewish children".  All their little friends get wonderful Christmas presents. Waaaaa! I am not an expert on child rearing but my initial thought was that the parents should make a bigger deal out of Chanukah and definitely instill in those children that they are indeed Not Christians. Since I secretly suspect that More Presents will make those kiddos happy I do not perceive this "problem" as being insurmountable. 

Interestingly, I learned it is the innocuous candy cane that is one of the most religious of the Christmas symbols.  The red and white represents the blood and purity of Christ. 

The Menorah lighting in the Spanish Springs Square is at 3 pm today. I'll be there.

Chag Chanukah Sameach!

:-)

Rosh Chodesh

The ladies of my Temple have offered a new-to-me activity - the observance of Rosh Chodesh, the monthly celebration of the new month in the Jewish calendar.  This is definitely a woman-thing and has been since ancient times. No wonder women liked it - it was a day of no work for women only!

I was completely ignorant of this practice so a bit of online research was required before December 28th, the start of the lunar month of Tevet and the next Rosh Chodesh gathering. Wikipedia had a pretty good explanation: Female-centered Rosh Chodesh observances vary from group to group, but many are centered on small gatherings of women, called Rosh Chodesh groups. There is often a particular interest in the Shekinah, considered by the kabbalah to be a feminine aspect of God. These groups engage in a wide variety of activities that center around issues important to Jewish women, depending on the preference of the group's members. Many Rosh Chodesh groups explore spirituality, religious education, ritual, health issues, music, chanting, art, and/or cooking. Some groups also choose to educate young Jewish women in their community about sexuality, self-image, and other women's mental and physical health issues.

Even my 26th Great- Grandfather Rashi had something to say about Rosh Chodesh: According to the Talmud, women are forbidden to engage in work on Rosh Chodesh, and Rashi, in commenting on this passage, delineates the activities from which they must refrain: spinning, weaving, and sewing — the skills that women contributed to the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle).

I don't do any spinning or weaving and not much sewing but I will be happy to refrain on December 28th!

;-)

MATSCOTUS

I purchased this book at neighbor Jack's garage sale about a week ago.  He even autographed it for me although we had a bit of confusion as he asked "To? To?" (meaning who's the recipient?)  and I thought he was saying "Two! Two!" (meaning give me two dollars). Jack self published this book, a wonderful new trend that assures your novel will be published and distributed, if only to neighbors and friends.

MATSCOTUS (Murder At The Supreme Court Of The United States) has already exceeded my expectations because I am still reading it one-third of the way in. It has an interesting premise and the background material is well researched. It is at least as good as anything I could have produced. If I have any constructive criticism at this point it would be that the Murder took place in the first few pages and the last 60 or 70 pages have been all about building the background of the protagonist, Colt Montgomery.  I have almost forgotten who it is that got whacked. 

I can see why Jack did this - even a good plot cannot carry a book if there is no empathy for your main character. I now feel I know everything about Colt's mom, dad, alma mater, girlfriend, sisters, nieces, nephews and his ex-brother-in-law that I need to, at least at this point. I eagerly await the return of the murder investigation which I'm sure will resume shortly.  

I congratulate my neighbor for this effort and for capturing my interest. Trust me, I am not the easiest reader to impress!

;-)

The Truth About Tilapia

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It seems like the only things that are still safe to eat are fruits and veggies. Of course organically grown are greatly preferred by those in-the-know but so far no one has told me that the regular store bought variety will kill me.

Now I used to think I could also enjoy tilapia but after this article I'm not so sure.  And there's another article that slams my other favorites: salmon (lox!), catfish and sea bass, actually any farm raised fish that may be fed (gasp!) GMO who-knows-what. 

Eggs, butter, cheese, milk, coffee, chocolate, wine, beef, poultry and carbohydrates (even whole grains) have all had their moments of infamy: maligned as threats to the human body. They have all be reborn as healthy alternatives to the latest bad-boy food group.

Truth be told, I am eating a lot more veggies these days in my ongoing effort to blast off the handful of pounds I've gained over the past wonderful year in The Villages.  This seems to be a rite of passage; every Villager has a story of gaining weight when they first move here, much like the fifteen pounds freshmen college students seem to put on when they're finally away from home. I have been moderately successful at knocking off two of the offending five pounds but it's still a challenge. Veggies are my ally in this struggle especially lettuce, sweet peppers and cucumbers. When they are topped with Walden Farms no-calorie dressings (Creamy Bacon is my new favorite) they are really quite delicious.

I hope they hold off telling me The Truth About Veggies for awhile!

;-)

Jamaica Me Crazy

Every morning I head for my Keurig Vue coffee maker, pop in a pod and wait to be revived.  I order a variety of different coffees online every few months but tend to lean toward the flavored varieties like French Vanilla, Caramel Drizzle or Vanilla Biscotti. As we speak I am sitting here with non-flavored Breakfast Blend which is too strong for me and must be diluted with extra hot water. It won't be back in a second box. When fall weather comes around I get a box of Pumpkin Spice or Cinnamon Bun. With a little Splenda they are quite the treat.

So I was interested in this article: "23 K Cups, Ranked by a World Class Barista". His opinions ranked from "spat it out" to "great complexity and finish".

I myself am not so particular.  Hot and black are are my two basic criteria for a satisfying cup of Joe. One of my favorites, Wolfgang Puck's Jamaica Me Crazy, ranked Number 20 and was described as "Just like buttered rum. Or walking into a kitschy Christmas shop."  Actually that sounds pretty good to me, must remember to re-order that one next time my current stash gets low.

There's enough different brews out there to Jamaica Me Crazy...

;-)

Bound Together

Isn't that a great name for a ladies book club? And guess what, I got an invitation to join our neighborhood ladies book club!  I guess I really have "arrived" because I don't think this club is "advertised" and it seems like there is a restricted membership count and you get in by invitation only. The departure of two current members has opened up slots and I guess I made the grade. Yay!

The January book-of-the-month will be "The Invention of Wings" of which I am happily the owner of three electronic copies. I had to check if all my copies are complete versions (they weren't) and I saw there is also a "Cliff Notes" version out on Kindle that is a mere 100 pages (versus 435 pages in regular print or 850 in large print).  I'm already into the second chapter and I can honestly say I don't think I'll require any extra help to interpret it.

I see that coming up in the next few months will be "Defending Jacob", which I've already read (it's fantastic).  For my month I will recommend "What Alice Forgot" which (as I blogged recently) I recently finished.

When neighbor Bonnie called to invite me to join Bound Together she asked if I was an "avid reader". Am I? Maybe yes...

;-)

Jews News

I am going to apply to start a new official Villages club that will add to the 1,000 plus clubs already in existence. It will be called "Jews News" and this is the description I'll be publishing:

Jews News Discussion Group

Topics pulled from today’s headlines concerning Jews, Israel and the Middle East – current events, politics, USA relations, threats, anti-Semitism and terrorism - are all explored in this lively, open-discussion class.  Expression of all viewpoints is encouraged.  We may also learn about Jewish and Israeli culture and history through documentary films, book reviews and discussion.  Rotating discussion moderators with specific areas of knowledge are welcome. 

There was a similar group at the JCC in South Florida that I enjoyed tremendously for a brief time and there is nothing similar offered right now in The Villages. I thought about trying to get it started as part of the Temple or the Sisterhood but I know it will pull a lot more people if I make it open to everyone in The Villages (lots of Jews here are not Temple members). 

I guess my job will be to pick monthly discussion topics and circulate thought-provoking articles in advance of the meetings. Hopefully the large contingent of vocal and opinionated folks I've met here will quickly want to assist and/or take over some or all of those duties hahaha.

Wish me luck!

;-) 

The Christmas Letter

We met a nice couple on a cruise several years ago and had dinner with them every night. When they visited Fort Lauderdale a few years ago we spent the day together and we've kept in touch.

Truth be told, I did not give this "friendship" much thought.  But yesterday I received her annual Christmas card and letter and was shocked to learn that their marriage of 47 years had broken up. They have a special needs grandson and some other family problems I believe, but they seemed happy together. They loved to travel and were constantly on the move with road trips and cruises. 

To say I was shocked is an understatement. According to the letter, her husband is in Las Vegas under the influence of "casino friends". Perhaps this retired civil servant has developed a strange gambling habit in his retirement?

I am not naive. I've seen marriages of 25, 35 and now 45 years plus break apart. But I like to think of the "golden years" as the time to get closer, to finally have time to reconnect with the person you wanted to marry in the first place, to travel if you want or pursue the good times you put on hold, or just to hang out together. That's how it should be and I am deeply saddened when it's not. 

:-(

Presents for Me

Ok Let's face it. The best presents are the ones we buy for ourselves. Who knows our secret desires better than us?  Even if our loved ones know we like something like artisan jewelry or Judaica tchatchkes there are definitely items in those categories we may not appreciate. I'm a firm believer in gift cards and going with to pick out my own present.

Chanukah is coming and I have treated myself to two presents: the Season 9 DVD of 24: Live Another Day (my recordings got wiped out when we upgraded our cable service) and new flannel Nick and Nora pajamas in the-hard-to-find "travel" print.  Both presents are from e-bay, still my favorite online source of goodies.

But I must admit, my friend Kathy has me pretty well pegged.  She recently gifted me (for absolutely no reason) with two spot-on perfect items from her own stash: a hard sided handbag that says "Hollywood" and a necklace with multiple talismans to ward off the evil eye. Love them and her too; she's the best gift of all.

Can't wait to show off the handbag tonight at the Royal Oak Christmas party. Plus there are six more nights of Chanukah needing more presents for me!

;-)

Scarves

Scarves are a fashion trend that recycles itself every few years. They are back in style now with at least two dozen new ways of performing scarf origami around your neck.

You will never find me wearing one of these things. In My Humble Opinion they look ridiculous and take an extra 15 minutes of prep time to create the right illusion. If you are older they call attention to the neck waddle that curses many women of a certain age (not moi of course). They serve no purpose, at least not here in Florida (unless one is contemplating doing away with one's self in a most grisly manner poo poo poo).

A girlfriend told me she attended a Chico's fashion show where they demonstrated a zillion things you could do with these flimsy scraps of cloth. She was hooked and now has amassed quite a collection. I must admit she has demonstrated quite a flair for transforming ordinary outfits with scarves. Not for me, I am a dress quickly and get out of the house kind of gal. 

Gotta run now, bye!

;-)

One Word

I can't seem to resist those little Facebook quizzes that promise to tell you all about yourself in about a half dozen easy (but revealing) questions.  Today's quiz was "what word truly sums you up?"

I think some choices were Determined and Lively but I got Cultured. How tres boring!  Was it my answer that a favorite spot to unwind might be a coffee shop and not a pub or bar?  I met new people just last week and I'd rather live my life doing what I love than making a lot of money - don't those answers show I'm sociable and down-to-earth? OK it was a bit of a toss up what I'd like to do this weekend but in the end I opted for spending some time with friends over reading a new book. Of course that would depend on who the friends were and what new book I've got on tap!  I couldn't lie, I do think I'm smart but humble but of course the other choices were "the life of the party" or "mysterious" or some other descriptive word that I definitely am not.

Truth be told, I think a few years ago I would have summed up myself as "Striving", always trying to do better and be-all-I-could-be. Today I think "Grateful" or "Contented" would be an apt one word description.  

I guess Cultured is not the worst thing one could be. Of course I was hoping for something along the lines of Breath-taking or at least Fabulous... 

;-)