Wonderful memories. Once again, thank you for sharing your always unique ways of celebrating with your family, friends and neighbors. And, as always, your music choice is appreciated….. lovely music I would not have heard had you not sent it.
I loved this entry, especially the wildly diverse nature of those family members mentioned. My daughter's son's father is from the Côte D'ivoire. My grandson Graham's grandmother visited and she and I connected happily, although her English is non-existant and my French is almost as poor. Graham, my grandson, is attending B'yadad Preschool at our shul, and my hope is that he will grow up tri-lingual, in English, Hebrew, and French. There is always hope in this often seemingly hopeless world.
Our band, the Hotsie Totsie Klezmer Orkester, has played for many Simchas Toyras @ the Catskill Congregation . Margot Leverit the talented clarinetist you mention, is our coach and on occasion has sit in with us when we are lucky. I have known Rabbi Zoe for years and she is indeed lovely. Your family sounds wonderful.
I am definitely not a synagogue goer, though on Erev Rosh Hashana I connected to the ceremony at Beit Daniel via Facebook, the major Reform synagogue in Tel Aviv. Rabbi Meir Azari said the necessary words against our miserable government, and the local choir sang Leonard Cohen's "Who By Fire:". Rabbi Azari said he hopes that next year they can sing "Hallelujah". You are fortunate to have the celebration with the extended family and friends, with Rabbi Zoe Zak presiding/singing. I used to go to the Catskills every summer for two weeks with my family as a preteen, but there were no signs of any synagogues in the vicinity of Sacks Lodge. Though I do remember a big bill-board sign of Jerry Lewis inviting people to his aunt and uncles' vacation resort in the Catskills. And we used to visit my great-grandmother who spent part of every summer at Grossinger's, the mecca of the Catskills. Since I'm writing this on the 1st anniversary of October 7th, right now Israeli radio is playing songs that were loved by people who were were killed on that day one year ago, mostly Israeli, but a few international. A very sad day.
Yesterday I participated in a moving memorial ceremony at a senior citizen's community center in Tel Aviv. Videos of survivors from the southern kibbutzim emphasized that while feelings of revenge might be natural, that should not be the policy that guides the country and the people. We sat around tables with a moderator, described where each one was on October 7th 2023 and how they felt. I said that the moment I heard the name Kibbutz Be'eri, I called my friend peace activist Vivian Silver, and there was no answer. We read and discussed a poem by Yehuda Amichai, and discovered that everyone sitting around the table holds Netanyahu responsible for what happened. I also added that Vivian's son is continuing her struggle for peace, as her legacy for him. The moderator, who happens to be from Kibbutz Shoval in the south where I spent half a year when I was 17 said, "well this is Tel Aviv. You might hear different reactions in other parts of the country." The alternative ceremony to the official memorial ceremony organized later in Park Hayarkon by the hostage families as a counterpoint to the official government ceremony featured many of Israeli's leading singers, and family members of hostages speaking out their pain and anger, and calling for a Governmental Commission of Inquiry to investigate who was responsible for what happened. The one who mentioned peace a s a goal was the sister of the Arab medic from Nazareth who was killed at the Nova music festival by the Hamas people. The Haaretz headline in Hebrew today said that the hostage family ceremony was a sign of hope for the future. Singer Ivri Lidor embraced the wife of one of those killed on that day, a particular powerful moment given that he is known as one of the first openly gay singers in Israel. He sang a song about how you knew love, while wearing a t-shirt with the slogan "To Remember is Revolution", the comment made by the family members of his manager. also gay, who was killed at the music festival on the eve of his wedding.
Barbra Streisand’s piece is particularly poignant this time since her costar in A Star is Born died this week. The nadir of her career — but when I hear how beautifully she sings Avinu Malkainu all is forgiven.
I loved reading your post — such a 21st century blend of pride in our people without the chauvinism. Would that it were always the case. Not one mention of the war. I admire that approach, but I could never leave it out. Not this year. Not that I know how I feel. But I’d say something. It can’t go unmentioned. The shock — not of the Hamas attack, but that fellow leftists snd academics showed so little ambivalence, such a paucity of nuance — if anything, it’s not simple.
Gmar chatimah Tovah,
Zev
PS: Here’s a poem on the war I ran on a Brevitas cycle early this year that I’d like to share.
💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥
Who is the Man?
The high school student in me cries,
Blow their brains out once and for all.
The college student in me says,
Learn Arabic and Hebrew, see both sides.
Both sides? My inner-graduate student asks.
If only there were only two!
While the grandfather in me sings
the kids to sleep with Psalm 34:
Netzor leshoncha meira’ / Guard your tongue from evil/
U-sfatecha midaber mirma/ And your lips from speaking guile /
Sur meira v’aseh tov/ Turn away from evil and do good/
Bakesh shalom verodfehu./ Seek peace and pursue it. /
Zev, Thanks for your powerful poem. About the war, I wish I knew what to say and how to say it. So many people have weighed in on this war with sanctimonousness and certainty. I find the story impossibly sad, and wish I knew how to say more than that. Shana Tova. xxxx
Beautiful
Down to earth brillance
Touching. And other glints of hope exist. Woodstock. Fleischmanns.
Wonderful memories. Once again, thank you for sharing your always unique ways of celebrating with your family, friends and neighbors. And, as always, your music choice is appreciated….. lovely music I would not have heard had you not sent it.
I loved this entry, especially the wildly diverse nature of those family members mentioned. My daughter's son's father is from the Côte D'ivoire. My grandson Graham's grandmother visited and she and I connected happily, although her English is non-existant and my French is almost as poor. Graham, my grandson, is attending B'yadad Preschool at our shul, and my hope is that he will grow up tri-lingual, in English, Hebrew, and French. There is always hope in this often seemingly hopeless world.
thanks RONI. Me too about this making me hopeful.
What is a colored village?
brightly colored. the way some places are.
Esther,
Our band, the Hotsie Totsie Klezmer Orkester, has played for many Simchas Toyras @ the Catskill Congregation . Margot Leverit the talented clarinetist you mention, is our coach and on occasion has sit in with us when we are lucky. I have known Rabbi Zoe for years and she is indeed lovely. Your family sounds wonderful.
Shana Tova!
Bernard Greenwald,
Larry Bush's sometime cornet accompanist
we'd love to come here you all one day
I am definitely not a synagogue goer, though on Erev Rosh Hashana I connected to the ceremony at Beit Daniel via Facebook, the major Reform synagogue in Tel Aviv. Rabbi Meir Azari said the necessary words against our miserable government, and the local choir sang Leonard Cohen's "Who By Fire:". Rabbi Azari said he hopes that next year they can sing "Hallelujah". You are fortunate to have the celebration with the extended family and friends, with Rabbi Zoe Zak presiding/singing. I used to go to the Catskills every summer for two weeks with my family as a preteen, but there were no signs of any synagogues in the vicinity of Sacks Lodge. Though I do remember a big bill-board sign of Jerry Lewis inviting people to his aunt and uncles' vacation resort in the Catskills. And we used to visit my great-grandmother who spent part of every summer at Grossinger's, the mecca of the Catskills. Since I'm writing this on the 1st anniversary of October 7th, right now Israeli radio is playing songs that were loved by people who were were killed on that day one year ago, mostly Israeli, but a few international. A very sad day.
Hillel we are all thinking of you and everyone today. Love
Yesterday I participated in a moving memorial ceremony at a senior citizen's community center in Tel Aviv. Videos of survivors from the southern kibbutzim emphasized that while feelings of revenge might be natural, that should not be the policy that guides the country and the people. We sat around tables with a moderator, described where each one was on October 7th 2023 and how they felt. I said that the moment I heard the name Kibbutz Be'eri, I called my friend peace activist Vivian Silver, and there was no answer. We read and discussed a poem by Yehuda Amichai, and discovered that everyone sitting around the table holds Netanyahu responsible for what happened. I also added that Vivian's son is continuing her struggle for peace, as her legacy for him. The moderator, who happens to be from Kibbutz Shoval in the south where I spent half a year when I was 17 said, "well this is Tel Aviv. You might hear different reactions in other parts of the country." The alternative ceremony to the official memorial ceremony organized later in Park Hayarkon by the hostage families as a counterpoint to the official government ceremony featured many of Israeli's leading singers, and family members of hostages speaking out their pain and anger, and calling for a Governmental Commission of Inquiry to investigate who was responsible for what happened. The one who mentioned peace a s a goal was the sister of the Arab medic from Nazareth who was killed at the Nova music festival by the Hamas people. The Haaretz headline in Hebrew today said that the hostage family ceremony was a sign of hope for the future. Singer Ivri Lidor embraced the wife of one of those killed on that day, a particular powerful moment given that he is known as one of the first openly gay singers in Israel. He sang a song about how you knew love, while wearing a t-shirt with the slogan "To Remember is Revolution", the comment made by the family members of his manager. also gay, who was killed at the music festival on the eve of his wedding.
Barbra Streisand’s piece is particularly poignant this time since her costar in A Star is Born died this week. The nadir of her career — but when I hear how beautifully she sings Avinu Malkainu all is forgiven.
I loved reading your post — such a 21st century blend of pride in our people without the chauvinism. Would that it were always the case. Not one mention of the war. I admire that approach, but I could never leave it out. Not this year. Not that I know how I feel. But I’d say something. It can’t go unmentioned. The shock — not of the Hamas attack, but that fellow leftists snd academics showed so little ambivalence, such a paucity of nuance — if anything, it’s not simple.
Gmar chatimah Tovah,
Zev
PS: Here’s a poem on the war I ran on a Brevitas cycle early this year that I’d like to share.
💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥
Who is the Man?
The high school student in me cries,
Blow their brains out once and for all.
The college student in me says,
Learn Arabic and Hebrew, see both sides.
Both sides? My inner-graduate student asks.
If only there were only two!
While the grandfather in me sings
the kids to sleep with Psalm 34:
Netzor leshoncha meira’ / Guard your tongue from evil/
U-sfatecha midaber mirma/ And your lips from speaking guile /
Sur meira v’aseh tov/ Turn away from evil and do good/
Bakesh shalom verodfehu./ Seek peace and pursue it. /
💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥
Zev, Thanks for your powerful poem. About the war, I wish I knew what to say and how to say it. So many people have weighed in on this war with sanctimonousness and certainty. I find the story impossibly sad, and wish I knew how to say more than that. Shana Tova. xxxx