Turkey day
November 23, 2006Happy Turkey day to those in chootz laretz.
Its another Thursday here. Regular davening times… et al.
The only difference is I’ve heard that several families are making a turkey for Friday night. A Bshoora. A zay’cher to the old country perhaps.
Its been a busy week so far. Spent some time with Penina is Tel Aviv and we walked along the beach…. the weather is just perfect. Too cold to go swimming. But warm enough where a sweater is not needed. WE came accross the Etzel house / museum. An interesting place. Get a feel for the battles within the israeli forces Pre-1948. Lechi, Hagana, irgun…. the Altedena ship incident where Ben Gurion fired on the ship that had the forces on Begin. Just mind boggling that is wasnt THAT long ago.
I remarked to Penina that if Israel didnt kick out the brits, we’d be speaking english today in Beit Shemesh.
LAter in the day I took the three older kids to talpiot for a chessed trip. A woman got hold of me and hired me to teach their family how to twist balloons to go to the hospital for a yahrzeit. A good excuse to get out and take the kids on a field trip. We had a great time as the people loved the balloons. IT was also great because the kids are becoming better twisters and are becoming more comfortable in speaking hebrew and in dealing with sick kids. Yoni was making balloons and going around to the rooms while Michal and Moshe went themselves. In the middle of the “gig” Michal and Moshe told me they said shema for a baby boy that was a day away from his bris.
Only in Israel.
2 things struck me as interesting. I was twisting balloons for a little child who looked arabic. In the middle the father said to me Baruch hashem, my child is now smiling. He hasnt smiled in 2 days. SO I thought.. .ok, hes really jewish. Then I heard he called his son by an arabic name. So I was totally confused. Why would be bless Hashem if he is an arab?
Hmmmm….
The second one was a sad incident. I noticed a 10 or 11 yeard old boy on a laptop with his father. THe boy had a bald head. I asked him if he plays soccer and I began to twist a ball balloon.
The father corrected me “Shes a girl”
Without missing a beat I said.”I know. I was asking you” SO I gave the ball to the father and made something else for the girl.
I made some small talk. (not easy for a guy on stilts) and wished them well and went on.
I couldnt get the idea out of my head how horrible it must be for a father to have a child that is so ravaged by cancer and chemo that their daughter is mistaken for a boy. These kids can all pass for each other almost. Bald. SMall. Weak. Makes small problems seem really small. Forget about kids not having their schoolwork on time. These kids can’t go to school and may not see their next birthday. Or get to play outside. Makes me glad I came but sad as well. I leave the hospital a different person every time. Just to say a few words of encouragement to the parents is appreciated.
Our next project is to sponsor a chanuka party at the girls orphanage. There is a group in Jerusalem Kad Vchomer.
They have kids come and the kids make pottery, mugs, plates and they fire them in ovens and a week later the kids pick them up.
Penina and I are going to have the company being their stuff to the orphange for the kids to make mugs, plates, etc.
If the kids can feel ” regular” for just a day .. or afternoon.. its a big thing for us. 99% of the year they feel like orphans and kids that come from abusive parents. SO for one day, at least, they can feel regular. If anyone wants to be a part of this by contributing, you know how to get hold of me.
Well, its 9pm and penina and Michal went swimming in the Fancy Reishit pool. THe yeshiva opens it up to the public and there are different hours during the day / night for mens/ womens. So they are checking it out. Yoni is at his tutor. Just last Sat. Night I was helping with his homework and he haad to asnwer questions from sefer hamitzvot. I scratched my head. I don’t know when I first read from that sefer… but I KNOW I wasn’ in 6th grade. Michal is also learning halacha and is required to look up different sources. Just tonight we looked up a gemora in gitten and the rashi.. exciting.
Well, thats it for today I think.
Enjoy the day off,
u.d.
