7/1/18
Bar Mitzva gift
Seforim (books) or something less "spiritual?" Many people give Bar Mitzva gifts that are spiritual in nature such as religious books. But in line with the concept of becoming a man, I think there are other things that are also appropriate - such as a good multi tool, which is practical and helps its owner take care of things around the house, while hiking or camping, etc. - in short a practical gift that can help a young man successfully deal with his surroundings and whatever may come up (and which is fun). In Judaism, the Torah is a comprehensive system, dealing with both spiritual matters and everyday life. And I think that therefore when a boy reaches the age of Bar Mitzva, he needs to be given tools to deal with both the spiritual world and everyday life, including exploring our land and dealing with whatever may arise in his home and around him.
Shabbat alone
Living alone can make Shabbat a challenge. A Shabbat seudah just doesn't feel the same when alone - I consider good company and conversation to be an integral of the experience. I often join friends for a meal and sometimes I invite one of my daughters and their family for Shabbat - or spend it with them, but it's a little challenging, requiring coordination as none of us have more than two bedrooms in our homes and they both have large families already. Or I invite friends over for a meal. But there are weeks when I am exhausted and feel like committing to specific times and getting fully dressed would just be too much. And it is relaxing to just chill. But it is somewhat lacking in Shabbat atmosphere, to put it mildly.
6/29/18
Alternate Realities
The world we live in seems to made up of many alternate realities - people's perceptions of reality vary greatly, to the extent that they perceive the world in completely different ways. What one might consider "unrealistic" can be the reality in which another person lives.
Each person, by how they choose to perceive their surroundings and circumstances (much of which are the result of their own choices), chooses and creates their version of reality.
According to Judaism, we are partners in the world's creation. After the creation of the world, it is written that G-d completed the heaven and earth and rested on Shabbat from all of the work he created to do:
"(1) Now the heavens and the earth were completed and all their host. (2) And G-d completed on the seventh day His work that He did, and He abstained on the seventh day from all His work that He did. (3) And G-d blessed the seventh day and He hallowed it, for thereon He abstained from all His work that God created to do." (Breishit 2:1-3)
The creation of the heaven and earth was completed, but it then says that God rested from his work, not that he stopped or finished, which seems to indicate resuming it after the Shabbat, indicating ongoing creation on G'd's part. And we in our actions are partners in that ongoing creation, by having children, by refining and protecting the word around us and ourselves - and I would say also by our perception and beliefs which direct our actions, through which we create our realities, and through which various cultures create their realities. What world and what reality do we want to create - and what do we actually create?
Each person, by how they choose to perceive their surroundings and circumstances (much of which are the result of their own choices), chooses and creates their version of reality.
According to Judaism, we are partners in the world's creation. After the creation of the world, it is written that G-d completed the heaven and earth and rested on Shabbat from all of the work he created to do:
"(1) Now the heavens and the earth were completed and all their host. (2) And G-d completed on the seventh day His work that He did, and He abstained on the seventh day from all His work that He did. (3) And G-d blessed the seventh day and He hallowed it, for thereon He abstained from all His work that God created to do." (Breishit 2:1-3)
The creation of the heaven and earth was completed, but it then says that God rested from his work, not that he stopped or finished, which seems to indicate resuming it after the Shabbat, indicating ongoing creation on G'd's part. And we in our actions are partners in that ongoing creation, by having children, by refining and protecting the word around us and ourselves - and I would say also by our perception and beliefs which direct our actions, through which we create our realities, and through which various cultures create their realities. What world and what reality do we want to create - and what do we actually create?
What a week!
I had a very full week, the fullest since my family visited last summer: on top of working 4 out of 5 days, I had 3 evening events - including a wonderful performance by stand-up-comedian Chana Cohen Eloro, spent a day at the Kinneret, and following the third event, a Bar Mitzva, went into Jerusalem to go to the Light Festival in the Old City with friends.
The day at the Kinneret was great, we were a group of women ranging from 1 to mid 60's - me, two friends, the baby of one of them, and my 6-year-old granddaughter - and all greatly enjoyed the beach (Chokok - חוקוק) and each other's company. We capped the day off with dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Tiberius, a new discovery with good reviews that exceeded our expectations, checking off every box - good food, good service, pleasant atmosphere, and very reasonable prices - Sin Chan (סין צ'אן). My only regret for that day is that I forgot to take any pictures ;-(
Last night, the final day of the marathon, included a co-worker's son's Bar Mitzva - very nice event, and as expected he gave a great speech with his own uniques perspective, throwing in a twist: how to learn the importance of this period in life - following the Bar Mitzva and before becoming fully independent - from the case of the rebellious son. And he also managed to sneak a twist into his son's speech that had us laughing. I then went into Jerusalem and spent a couple hours walking around and through the Old City, seeing light shows and hearing music - and considering the long day, and long week, I was quite pleased I only began to run out of steam after 11:00 p.m. On the way out of the Old City we came across a couple interesting sites, a section of a Roman road, and an arch that served as an entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - the arch was blocked off at some point and another arch was built overlaying part of it:
And now I'm off to go swimming. Shabbat shalom!
The day at the Kinneret was great, we were a group of women ranging from 1 to mid 60's - me, two friends, the baby of one of them, and my 6-year-old granddaughter - and all greatly enjoyed the beach (Chokok - חוקוק) and each other's company. We capped the day off with dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Tiberius, a new discovery with good reviews that exceeded our expectations, checking off every box - good food, good service, pleasant atmosphere, and very reasonable prices - Sin Chan (סין צ'אן). My only regret for that day is that I forgot to take any pictures ;-(
Last night, the final day of the marathon, included a co-worker's son's Bar Mitzva - very nice event, and as expected he gave a great speech with his own uniques perspective, throwing in a twist: how to learn the importance of this period in life - following the Bar Mitzva and before becoming fully independent - from the case of the rebellious son. And he also managed to sneak a twist into his son's speech that had us laughing. I then went into Jerusalem and spent a couple hours walking around and through the Old City, seeing light shows and hearing music - and considering the long day, and long week, I was quite pleased I only began to run out of steam after 11:00 p.m. On the way out of the Old City we came across a couple interesting sites, a section of a Roman road, and an arch that served as an entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - the arch was blocked off at some point and another arch was built overlaying part of it:
And now I'm off to go swimming. Shabbat shalom!
6/27/18
A wonderful day at the Kinneret
Had a great day at the Kinneret - one of my favorite places. I went with a lovely group of women, ranging from 1 to mid 60s: 2 friends, the baby daughter of one of them, and my 6-year-old granddaughter, and we greatly enjoyed each other's company. We found a nice beach and spent most of the time in the water, and then ended the day at a Chinese restaurant in Tiberius, Sin Chan (סין צ'או), that was great and ticked off every single box - good food, good service, pleasant atmosphere, and very reasonable prices. I had seen good reviews for it, and it exceeded my expectations.
6/26/18
Cool, high, or typical American?
When I approached the cashier a few nights ago at our local grocery store, a friend of his was standing next to him puzzling over something. The cashier saw me and immediately said "She knows what it is." After he said that, I of course had to take a look and see what it was - and it was an empty package of pure natural papers for rolling... whatever your heart desires - and it was clear what the cashier's heart leaned towards to. So - A. Can I take it as a compliment that a young hip guy who was clearly into "the keta," as we say in Hebrew, thought I was also into it; or did he think I was into it because he thought I looked like a hippie and/or high; or does he think that all Americans are into it?
And B. Did I manage to retain any slight street cred possibly credited to me when I said I wasn't really into it (primarily because on the occasions I have partaken I haven't really noticed any effect - but I didn't get into that), but did immediately recognize it for what it was and was cool about it?
And B. Did I manage to retain any slight street cred possibly credited to me when I said I wasn't really into it (primarily because on the occasions I have partaken I haven't really noticed any effect - but I didn't get into that), but did immediately recognize it for what it was and was cool about it?
5/10/15
Changes
This Thursday will be my last day at JDC where I've worked three years, and on Sunday I'll be starting a new job, as a translator for PMW.
I'm very excited about the new job, both about my position as a translator, and about the company I'll be working for, and I'm looking forward to it. But as with all changes, it isn't simple. I'll miss the people I've worked with over the last three years at JDC. And there is no way for me to know for sure how the new job will be until I start. As with all changes, it's a leap into the unknown, a leap of faith. I think and hope it will be good, but time will tell.
5/4/15
New and Exciting Job
In a week and a half I'll be starting a new job as a translator and I'm very excited about it. For years I've translated freelance, and often as part of my job. But I never defined myself as a translator, despite the fact that I am really good at it.
I know I am good at translating, and that I have excellent language skills. However in my present position I finally gained the confidence in my skills to fully own them, and to recognize myself as a translator - after all, I needed to recognize myself as a translator before I could expect anyone else to recognize me as such.
In my position at JDC, I worked for an amazing man, Ralph Goldman. He was a man of vision and a man of action, and played a major part in the building of Israel, and in the guiding of JDC, an organization which helps Jews throughout the world, and works to strengthen all populations in Israel.
I learned many important things from Ralph while working for him. And in addition, I gained confidence in my skills, greatly encouraged by his appreciation. He was not a person to express appreciation or give compliments lightly. When he expressed appreciation of something, you knew he truly meant it. He had a wonderful command of both English and Hebrew, and was very precise in the words he chose in all of his communication and writing . Therefore his appreciation of my language and writing skills in both Hebrew and English meant a lot to me, and gave me more confidence in my skills, to the extent that when I saw an ad for a position as a translator, with stated requirement of at least a B.A., I had the confidence to apply despite not having a degree, writing to them that despite not meeting this requirement, I have all the skills they are looking for, and asking they give me a chance. They did, and I got the job.
Thank you Ralph.
I know I am good at translating, and that I have excellent language skills. However in my present position I finally gained the confidence in my skills to fully own them, and to recognize myself as a translator - after all, I needed to recognize myself as a translator before I could expect anyone else to recognize me as such.
In my position at JDC, I worked for an amazing man, Ralph Goldman. He was a man of vision and a man of action, and played a major part in the building of Israel, and in the guiding of JDC, an organization which helps Jews throughout the world, and works to strengthen all populations in Israel.
I learned many important things from Ralph while working for him. And in addition, I gained confidence in my skills, greatly encouraged by his appreciation. He was not a person to express appreciation or give compliments lightly. When he expressed appreciation of something, you knew he truly meant it. He had a wonderful command of both English and Hebrew, and was very precise in the words he chose in all of his communication and writing . Therefore his appreciation of my language and writing skills in both Hebrew and English meant a lot to me, and gave me more confidence in my skills, to the extent that when I saw an ad for a position as a translator, with stated requirement of at least a B.A., I had the confidence to apply despite not having a degree, writing to them that despite not meeting this requirement, I have all the skills they are looking for, and asking they give me a chance. They did, and I got the job.
Thank you Ralph.
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