Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Sunday, March 29, 2015
#BlogExodus: Bitter
I just finished reading Jennifer
Weiner’s article in today's paper about seders past and present, and how she’s the one in
her family now in charge of the annual event.
In 2010, at 77, my mom was still the one in charge of our
seders. She’d been having some health
issues so I went out to New Jersey the day before, Sunday, March 28, to help
finish the preparations. When I arrived,
the table was already set, the soup and the matzah balls were made, and the
brisket was in the crockpot. I assembled
some relish trays, chopped apples for charoset,
and followed a recipe she’d clipped from the newspaper for a tri-colored gefilte
fish loaf. Before long, that, too, was
covered with Saran and squished in the overflowing fridge, in the kitchen that
smelled – as it did every year at this season – like Pesach.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
#BlogExodus: To Rise....Or Not
Growing up, my sister and I learned the importance of rising
to the occasion – to meet the challenges we faced, to deal with difficult or
unexpected situations, and to do what was needed, even if it wasn't what we’d
planned or anticipated.
Friday, March 27, 2015
#BlogExodus: Tell (and Ask)
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
#BlogExodus: Hide
Any ideas I might have about today's #BlogExodus post are
hiding from me. Or perhaps I am hiding
from them.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
#BlogExodus: Grow the Business?
I’m somewhat of a purist and as such, I don’t appreciate
the use of “grow” when its direct object is other than something in the natural
world – flowers, fur, or corn, for example.
“Grow the business” sounds like nails on a chalkboard to me.
Luckily, I’m not alone in my dislike.
Luckily, I’m not alone in my dislike.
Monday, March 23, 2015
#BlogExodus: Cleanse
Yesterday turned out to be such a lazy Sunday --
truly a blessing -- that tonight is laundry night. Thankfully, there are
plenty of machines right in the basement that are great at cleaning and drying my clothes.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
#BlogExodus: Baffled by “Bless”
I’m a little bit baffled about the meaning of the word “bless.” Nothing Merriam-Webster says about it strikes me
as particularly Jewish. Same with the
online OED.
On the other hand – and not surprisingly – the explanation
offered by ReformJudaism.org
resonates with me: “Throughout Jewish
history, the deepest feelings and longings of the soul have been given
expression in the form of blessings (brachot)
for nearly every occasion, both ordinary and extraordinary, and a liturgy for
both daily and sacred times.”
Saturday, March 21, 2015
#BlogExodus: A Roundup of Beginnings
Although it
may seem odd to begin with a roundup, today, 1 Nisan, presents a confluence of
beginnings.
Not only is it
the first of the month of Nisan and the first full day of spring, it also is Shabbat Ha-Chodesh, which marks the beginning of one of the four
new years on the Hebrew calendar. This day begins the liturgical year as was
referenced in the Rosh Chodesh parashah we
read this morning: “God spoke to Moses and Aaron when they were
in Egypt and said, ‘This month shall
mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months
of the year for you’” (Exodus 12:1-2). The
liturgical year ties all Jewish festivals to the Exodus from Egypt so its beginning now -- less than two weeks before Passover -- is most apt.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Ten Good Things About Today
10. It was sunny all day.
9. Even with oversleeping, I made it to the office by 9:10 a.m.
8. I didn't have time for breakfast at home, so I'm planning on oatmeal for dinner.
7. There was a check in the mail. (Thanks, Mellon. Too bad I wasn't visiting you tonight. We'd have had a great time watching the game at the CONSOL Energy Center.)
9. Even with oversleeping, I made it to the office by 9:10 a.m.
8. I didn't have time for breakfast at home, so I'm planning on oatmeal for dinner.
7. There was a check in the mail. (Thanks, Mellon. Too bad I wasn't visiting you tonight. We'd have had a great time watching the game at the CONSOL Energy Center.)
Monday, March 16, 2015
#RhodiaPaperProject: Yet Again, 90g is the Winner
Sunday, March 15, 2015
The Shiva Orchid
Nearly five years ago, when we were sitting shiva for my mother, one of my sister's friends from The Frick Collection came by with a beautiful orchid.
Monday, March 2, 2015
Use Your Manners
As the MTA ramps up its etiquette campaign on subways and buses, here are a few suggestions for things New Yorkers can do, not only to make the commute more pleasant, but to enhance life in our city as well.
- Smile.
- Greet the doorman.
- Hold the door.
- Remove your backpack on the subway.
- Keep right -- on the road, on the sidewalk, and on the staircase.
- Wipe down the treadmill when you're finished.
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