Blog/October 2008/Oct 24th
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October 24th (See this week's devar torah)
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Hi again!
The last of the major holidays concluded this past week, leaving us happy to have celebrated and also glad that we have a "rest" before the next major holiday (Passover, in the spring). The strengthening work we did last week to the sukkah worked splendidly; so we had no further problems with the roof blowing off.
The holiday "simchat torah" (a relatively recent custom) is celebrated here in Israel on the same day as "shemini atseret" (the Biblical holiday). Before we made aliyah (two holiday seasons ago, now!) we were used to the simchat torah celebrations involving astonishingly large quantities of alcoholic beverages. This year (at an Ashkenazic synagogue) and last year (at a Yemenite synagogue), we were introduced to the concept of an "alcohol free" simchat torah. And I for one find it much more pleasant, though I still can't handle large crowds without having breathing difficulty.
The son of one of Esther's friends (who learned to doula with her) got married this week, and his mother invited Esther (and I) to attend the wedding. They are Gerrer Hassidim, and the wedding was next to Bnei Brak -- two new things for both of us. It was more than a little weird to be in a hall full of Hassidim, none of whom I knew. But they were friendly enough and I learned some new things. However, I'll be happy to avoid weddings of people I don't know at all in the future.
Esther has been talking about rearranging our "salon" (living room) so we would have more room. She's been talking about it for a while. So today I got energized, and not only put away the sukkah in our storage area (while rearranging it and getting even more stuff inside it), but I rearranged the salon as well. And it does have more room now, and is even more practically arranged. So though I'm tired, dirty and sweaty, I've at least made my wife happy today.
Most of you are familiar with the Iranian rhetoric calling for the destruction of Israel. You have also probably heard of the various "spies for Israel" found by Iran over the years. But you almost certainly didn't know that Iran has found Zionist spy pigeons. Just when you thought you would never laugh again!
Not to be outdone by the Farsi-speaking and non-Arab Iranians, the Lebanese have opened up a new front in the war on illicit dips. Their pride is so dip, I mean deep! Wouldn't it be amazing if the rest of the middle eastern countries would utilize their brainpower for something other than really bad vaudeville?
Until next week,
Shabbat shalom!
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