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Overcast That's Life 10-17-08
Issue of Oct. 17, 2008
Dear That’s Life,
It’s our family’s annual tradition to enjoy Rosh Hashana in Brooklyn at my parents’ home in Midwood. We enjoy stuffing ourselves with delicious home cooked food made by my mom and my dad’s attention to every detail of our stay, including getting us his next-door neighbor’s safe parking spot where our car won’t get hit at their crazily busy, accident-prone corner.
Although we’ve lived out of Brooklyn for most of our married life, I will always feel like a Brooklyn girl. But being “home” for the holiday brings it home, as I sit next to my mom in the shul I grew up in and where my husband and I were married. When I look around at the same people who watched me grow up, I know I’m supposed to be an adult, just like them, but in my heart I feel about the same age as my teen daughter sitting beside me through the long davening. And my nostalgic eyes see everyone as they were back in the old days.
It’s nice to go back to that childhood feeling for a couple of days and then it’s great to come back to our own home and our own cozy beds here in Woodmere and plan all the meals for the next Shabbos when I get to host my parents.
Miriam Abrahams
Woodmere
Dear That’s Life,
My nephew Netanel, three years old, is a natural born peacemaker and a good sharer to boot.
Rosh Hashana was nearing an end and a group of young cousins together for the Chag at Bubbie and Zeidie’s house were more than a little overtired. All they wanted was “snack,” so my son, Naftali, also three, received a cup full of Pizza Wheels while Netanel was handed a cup of Falafel Bits. Having finished his snack first, Naftali now wanted some of Netanel’s, which Netanel graciously shared. Soon, he lost interest and gave Naftali the entire cup.
Enter Aliza, Netanel’s older sister, who also wanted the falafel bits.
Moving quickly, Netanel grabbed the cup from Naftali’s hands and gave it to Aliza, who was pleased. Seeing that Naftali was now sad, Netanel plucked the cup from Aliza’s hands and returned it to Naftali, who became happy again. Aliza loudly complained so Netanel quickly turned and snatched the cup away from Naftali and returned it to Aliza, who smiled cheerfully. Naftali wailed loudly so Netanel seized the cup of Falafel Bits from Aliza and returned it once again to Naftali. By this time Naftali had caught on and clutched the cup tightly with no intention of letting go. With Aliza approaching a state of hysteria, Netanel attempted to wrest the cup from Naftali, exclaiming, “But my sister is crying, but my sister is crying.”
Thankfully, at that moment, Bubbie stepped in with more falafel bits and pizza wheels and peace was restored.
Chani Fertig
Dear That’s Life,
It was Yom Kippur morning, just before two Torahs were taken out, and the gabbai stepped up to conduct some commerce: the auction of aliyos and various honors as a fundraiser for the shul.
Finally up to the big prize, opening the Aron Kodesh for Neilah, he opened the bidding at $2,000 and was quickly raised.
“$3,000 for P’sichas Neilah,” he announced. Seeking to drum up some more competition the gabbai now glanced down inquiringly at a frequent bidder in the front row.
He listened to a brief objection from the man then suggested out loud, “You can’t stand for so long? Buy it for somebody else.”
Perhaps in the spirit of mending fences the man next to me muttered, “Or, buy it for somebody you can’t stand.”
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If something happened to you “that could only happen around here,” you’ve got to share! Was it funny? Outrageous? Hopefully, it wasn’t too painful. No matter what, if you type it up and sent it to
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