Grandmothering

Today, I'll be home. My daughter is leaving the kids and going to work. We'll have a neighborhood girl over for a few hours to help entertain them. Luckily, my grandson began sitting in the high chair, so feeding him should be easier and more fun. Too bad the TV doesn't work. I hope the weather cools down.

Today's "Jewish Mother" is Korean

Your old time pre-JAP Jewish mother was known as a hyper-focused anything for the kids--especially the sons--emasculating, "don't end up like your father" pushy gal. Today, except for some Russian immigrant grandmothers, holding down the fort while their children work hard to make money and they raise the grandchildren, it's more legend and sitcom exaggerations.

It seems like that old stereotype, hyper-ambitious mother speaks Korean. Thousands of upscale Korean families have sent the wives and kids to English speaking countries to guarantee a higher level of English for their kids than available in even the best of Korean schools.

Reading through the entire article brought up two disturbing facts or trends. One is that Korean men, even when the families are living together, aren't really involved with their children. And two, by stressing the importance of learning English and not having similarly high level Korean studies, those kids will ironically end up failing to achieve academic superiority when they return home to Korea.

I just can't imagine that sort of life, pushing to learn and get perfect grades.

Don't Miss It!

Jack has done a great job on the latest Havel Havelim. I'm sure it's a busy week for you with the Shavuot Holiday and all sorts of end of the school year stuff if you're in the northern hemisphere.

But please, do take a look at Havel Havelim. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. And considering the cheesecake, sorbet and ice cream I bought for Shavuot, I'm glad to have a treat which isn't full of calories!

Not Much Time

This is my early morning, on the computer time, but afterwards I'll be very busy.

It's the "eve" of the Shavuot holiday, and I have cooking, cleaning, shopping and getting ready for Halleli's 5th Birthday. Yes, my married daughter is coming with the crew for the holiday and birthday. And tomorrow afternoon I'm hosting our annual Shavuot in English Shiur (Torah class.) And did I leave out the laundry?

Right, not much time.

Chag Sameach!! Have a wonderful Holiday!

Jewish Raggae

הוא שלנו

"Hu shelanu!" "He's one of us!"

Local Boy Makes Good

That's a popular thing to say in Israel when one of the family or neighbor or school buddy another Israeli or Jew has some big success. I think lots of us feel that way when it comes to Matisyahu.

American, Jewish, Baal Tshuva, Chassidish, Reggae singing sensation, Matisyahu, is multiple nachas for many. Read about his travels to Jamaica, the origin of reggae.

Yes, he's popular in my family.

Linen Surprise

Last spring, yes, about exactly a year ago, I bought myself two linen skirts. No, they weren't cheap, even though they were "two for the price of one."

One's white and one's a "straw color." They're sort of big and loose, not at all tailored or fitted. OK, more like tents to hide under.

Well, one, the straw-colored, always looked wrinkled. I was told that it "just needed ironing." Well, that didn't work. So I sent it to the cleaner, and it quickly frizzed up again, like difficult curley hair on a humid day.

I've been wearing it a lot, and it really was looking awful, dirty and wrinkled. It certainly doesn't look like the expensive skirt it actually is. I didn't want to wait for my husband's next trip to the dry cleaners, so I tried reading the "washing instructions." I saw one of those "handwash" logos.

I don't wash anything "by hand" any more, so I decided to try asking on the internet. At the first site I found, it very reasuringly insisted that since people have been wearing linen long before there was dry cleaning, it must be possible to safely launder it. Apparently proper laundering softens the linen so it won't be wrinkled.

It suggested a gentle cycle with gentle soap, even shampoo. So, this morning I put the skirt and some other things in the machine with baby shampoo. It's now drying out on the merpeset, balcony, and looks less wrinkled than usual. They claim that it can also be dried in the dryer or you can lay it flat on the grass or any surface.

I'll stick with the clothes line.

Now I wonder what else I should be washing in the machine.

Another Shavuot Thought

It's traditional to study Torah (Jewish texts and Law) all night, since the Holiday is to celebrate the gift of Torah by G-d to the Jewish People. Years ago I could pull those all-nighters, but now, after a certain hour, I doze off if seated.

We have been hosting a shiur (class), in our home on Shavuot afternoon for over ten years. It's great for those who can't stay awake and alert at night and an extra bonus for those who can.

Chag Sameach
Have a Wonderful Holiday

Almost Shavuot, So...

Shavuot is an unknown Jewish Holiday for some. It doesn't supply the vivid culinary memories of Pesach (Passover,) nor the fun of Chanukah, nor the seriousness Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur. There's no succah to decorate, dancing around the Torah nor Hamantaschen and noise-makers.

It's on the calendar, during the school year, so I must have heard about it during my five years (I graduated!) of OJC Hebrew School, but honestly I don't think I knew it existed until I became religious when in high school.

In the Jewish world dominated by Ashkenazim (European Jews) it's claimed that "everybody eats dairy, especially cheesecake, on Shavuot." But the truth is very different.

North African Jews, like my Tunisian son-in-law, don't have a dairy culinary culture. For them, a Jewish Holiday meal is meat and poultry, not even fish, and certainly no cheesecake.

And they're, that's the Tunisian branch of the family, are coming for Shavuot, so maybe one of the meals will be meat.

RFK

My teens was Kennedy time. Early into my second decade JFK was elected US President, assassinated soon after, and as that decade ended his younger brother RFK was also murdered.

I think of them by initials, like newspaper headlines.

They were brothers, special brothers. Trying to understand things today along with the images, over forty years in my mind, it seems like one had the looks and the other the power and drive to put him in office.

Jack and Jackie were on their twin pedestals, propped up by Bobby's hard, gutsy work.

Over the years, lots of negative stuff has been revealed about them all, especially JFK. My feeling was always that Bobby was the real tough one. Today, he'd be called "hyper." That's why I was very impressed by the essays by three of his kids. They show a Bobby Kennedy more human and wiser than I would have guessed.

Lots of "Educating" Posts

The latest Carnival of Education is up.

Lots and lots to read.

Enjoy!!!

Busy Yesterday

I started the day at Tel Shiloh for our Women's Rosh Chodesh (beginning of the Jewish Month) Prayers. We had a nice, largest so far, group from the Golan, Rechovot, Eli, Jerusalem and Shiloh. The participants originated from Europe, North and South America and Israel. Next month, Rosh Chodesh Tammuz will be either July 3rd or 4th; I'll let you know within a couple of days. Of course you can always go to Tel Shiloh, just to see the site where the Mishkan, the Tabernacle stood for 369 years.

The Tel is open for visitors, prayers and special events at all times. For more information, call the Tourist Office of Tel Shiloh, 02-994-4019.

There's now a Coffee Shop--Gallery, and I have pictures of Shiloh on sale.
After our prayers at the Tel, I went to Jerusalem. I don't know why, but there was a major traffic jam. I think that it was more than because Jaffa Road is partially closed for construction. I got off the bus quite a long distance from where I had planned, and I walked.
My kids organized a birthday party for me. We were at the Anna Ticho Museum, downtown Jerusalem. This time the toilets didn't smell, but I had to send back my vegetables which were drowning in salt. They were very nice and prepared a whole plate of unsalted ones. That restaurant is excellent about things like that. They're very generous about replacing problematic food.

I even had a little "birthday cake," and when my family sang Happy Birthday in Hebrew, others joined in!

Now for something else. I'm curious as to whether the guards, manning the x-ray security machine at the bus station are permitted to talk on their phones at work. This guard had her phone hidden in her hair. My camera got caught int the machine, and I had trouble finding it. I wanted her to check the screen, but she was oblivious. Luckily it came out.

What Happened to Photobucket?

It seems that all my Photobucket pictures are "down." I can't see them on my blog, just a box and something to click, which brings me to codes but no picture.

We live in such a "virtual," imaginary world. We count on technology we can neither see nor comprehend. Almost like UFO's.

It makes it easier to believe in G-d.

Strange Radio and misc.

Mornings I listen to the radio, while on the computer. There's English News at 6:30am my time. The other day there must have had been a mix-up. The stations didn't come on as they should have. It was like a comedy routine. I never found the news.

Generally I turn on an Israeli music station when the news is over.

I used to listen to the radio all the time, frequently the BBC. Now I listen to cd's, usually the same for days on end.

The tv is still dead, never called the repair guy. I ought to have him check it out before we go to NY. If it can't be fixed, we can get another at duty free, where we got this one. Sometimes I use the "laptop" for movies, exercise dvd and "card games."

Last night I called my mother, who was out, and my father said that she got her cast off. Thank G-d

Lots of Recipes

Take a gander at the latest Carnival of Recipes on Woman Tribune.

There's a really nice variety, and while we're talking food, don't forget to send in your links to the next Kosher Cooking Carnival!

There is no limit to the amount of posts you can send, as long as they fit the criteria. You may also send in links to other bloggers' posts. Please use the carnival submission form.If you're interested in hosting a Kosher Cooking Carnival, please don't be shy. It's great fun; just let me know which month you want. The calendar is filling. June's KCC will be hosted by West Bank Mama, July by Soccer Dad, and August will be at Here in HP. So, as you can see, hosting the Kosher Cooking Carnival is definitely the "in" thing to do for jbloggers. To reserve your month, please write to me at: shilohmuse at yahoo dot com

Enjoy!

The Season!

Repairs are being made on our local swimming pool. It's just a couple of minutes' walk from my house. Even though I'm going to be in NY for a few weeks, I just calculated that it still pays for me to take out a "membership."

When I have a membership I go even when it'll just be a few minutes. I don't really swim, just exercise.

I can't wait. My body really needs it, and I haven't been going to the pool in Neve Yaakov. It's too exhausting when I have to rush to work afterwards.

Yes, summer is almost here.

Left in the Lurch!

or... The Public Be Damned!

I waited a very long time for a bus out of Pisgat Zeev yesterday. I was on my way to the Old City to get to Ir David for the Moskowitz Zionism Prize Ceremony.

It was Jerusalem Day and thousands and thousands of Jews of all ages and all parts of the country wanted to be in Jerusalem for the grand flag "happening," or other things. Not everyone has a car, and not everyone is willing to spring for a cab, especially from as far as Pisgat Zeev. And there were no notices of bus cancellations or route changes. So we were just waiting and waiting and waiting. Egged should have set up shuttle buses, instead of the regular ones, which didn't come and didn't go their usual routes.

After waiting at least 40 minutes, I got the bus I wanted, but of course it didn't go on its usual route. I got off a good 6 or more minute walk to the Jerusalem Municipality to use the WC, but I, and others trying to get the elevator, were disappointed to discover that it had closed at its usual 5pm, even though the area was full of people with potentially full bladders etc.

After walking through the glorious flag-waving crowds, I got to the Old City.


Then I walked all the way to Ir David. I hope I burned enough calories to cover the "ice coffee" I had for supper.

What The Doctors Didn't Say... C-Section Scam

For decades already, many doctors and hospitals have preferred the scheduling convenience of delivering babies by Caesarean Section. Of course there are pregnancies which should end in a surgical delivery, but the rapid rise in the percentage of c-sections isn't for life-saving medical reasons.

Doctors pooh pooh the long-term health dangers, but the health/medical insurance business considers Cesarean deliveries to be the major surgery it actually is and takes the increased chances of subsequent c-sections very seriously. It costs.

Women are discovering that having had a Cesarean will make subsequent medical insurance more expensive.

Yes, there are times when it's the only, the best way to deliver a baby, but there are other times when it's better to have a midwife or obstetrician who knows safer, non-surgical techniques.

In Israel, most deliveries are by midwives, yes, in the hospitals, and there are midwives who are so good they work privately, recognized by some hospitals.

Capturing Time

One of the worst things about bus traveling is the time wasted, waiting. And I'm not a very good "waiter." It drives me nuts. I have to do something! I'm not the type to just doze. If I wasn't afraid of heights, I'd climb the walls.

Last week we ended up waiting for the last, the 11:30pm bus twice. If I had been alone, I would have gone to the French Hill stop where there's a chance of catching rides, but pay attention, I did write "we."

So, what's there to do in Jerusalem's Central Bus Station? Take pictures, of course. By 11pm, most stores are long closed, but the big Ne'eman bakery chain stays open.



Enjoy the pictures. They're a lot better than being there waiting for a bus.




There's more, maybe I'll show you another time.

Keep Me Away

Last Wednesday, before going to the Bar Mitzvah, I was in Jerusalem looking for a gift for tonight's Bat Mitzvah. These are really the most difficult of all gifts to choose. The dilemma is whether to buy something the 12 year old girl or 13 year old boy will like at the time, or something which will have longer lasting value? As I told the Bar Mitzvah boy, who looked at the book we gave him with trepidation:

"You will not stay 13 forever."

The Bat Mitzvah girl's mother had told me that her daughter likes "girl" things and has pierced ears. That was all I needed to know; I went looking for earrings. I found this lovely shop on Jerusalem's Yoel Solomon Street and quickly found what I hope are the "perfect earrings."


Then I took this picture, and suddenly I saw, just the earrings I wanted... It was obvious that they'd be just perfect for the outfit I had packed with me to wear at the Bar Mitzvah and also what I was looking for for this summer's NY wedding. So, it didn't take me long to pull out my charge card and buy myself a birthday present.

That should be it for birthday presents, right? Just keep me away from that store.

Bright & Early With Havel Havelim!

Frum Satire has posted its debut Havel Havelim. I'm impressed both by the quality and the fact that I don't have to wait for it. It's even a bit early. There's lots to read, so click and enjoy.

Have a great week!