Thank You

     Hurricane Sandy was the worst storm to hit New York City. It kind of reminded me of that awful movie AI where they show Manhattan and Coney Island submerged under water. I did not like that movie when I saw it years ago and I like it less today.
     I will say that though there has been a lot of devastation there is also a lot I am thankful for. I am thankful to the MTA for shutting down the subway on Sunday before the storm hit.  A lot of people could have drowned   had the trains  been running during the storm. So many lives were saved.
      I am also grateful that I live in zone 3 in Brooklyn so I did not need to evacuate my home during the storm. I am grateful that I did not lose power or water during the storm. I am not listing these to rub it in to those who did lose power , had to evacuate or lost their water.  I am merely being thankful for  the gifts I have been given. I am also stating them so I remember these things when I start kvetching about the lack of subway service and the fact that we can't be sure when it will be restored.
     My heart goes out to those who have been evacuated from their homes. My heart goes out to those whose homes have been destroyed . My heart goes out to those whose power is out and who do not have water.
      When the tsunami hit Thailand my heart sank for those who lost their lives and homes. When the earthquake hit Japan I had rachmanas on those who experienced it. I sent clothes to the Philippines when my co-workers made a collection for those whose survived the floods there a few years ago. No one every really believes such devastating acts of G-d will come their way. It  always seems like something that happens to someone else.
     I always find acts of G-d to be the most profound. There is such devastation that is not man made. They are meant to make us think. Perhaps they are to make us appreciate the mundane. After one's world gets so shaken up one longs for the boring normal of everyday.Too bad we can't always appreciate the mundane until it is suspended.
   
   

have a thankful thanksgiving

thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it is a secular holiday. i get to eat a big meal , get together with friends and family but not have a day of extra long davening.
i am thankful to be living in the united states of america . i pray for peace and harmony this thanksgiving . i wish everyone health and happiness as well. this isn't a perfect country, but what country is ? those of us who live here are blessed to live in a country where we are free to practise our religion  and not fear for our lives .

something about thanksgiving

i never quite get why some people are too frum to celebrate thanksgiving. i can understand not feeling in the mood to actually do anything but im not quite sure why its a religious issue. its not a religious holiday, its just about being thankful that the united states is a free country and that we are free to practice our religion. these days we are even more free to observe our religion than years ago, so i would think we would be more thankful and celebrate thanksgiving. years ago more jews celebrated thanksgiving when we it was harder to observe our religion in the united states.

but ok, so you don't celebrate thanksgiving, why take on a tradition of having  a turkey thanksgiving like meal on black friday? is it just  to be unconventional? the only reason one is having turkey the day after thanksgiving is because its the day after thanksgiving. so why not just have it on thursday? one is allowed to eat turkey on a thursday. its the christians who don't have meat on fridays. when i went to weight watchers several years ago it was the first time that i had heard about the mishagos about how if you are really frum you celebrate with a turkey dinner the friday after thanksgiving. hmmm... maybe they celebrate thanksgiving on shabbos  its so it really is on a chag!!??
well, i plan on celebrating thanksgiving on a thurdsay this year. have a happy thanksgiving everyone!

the chilean miners

i think that it was a miracle that the chilean miners were rescued. im waiting to hear what the rabbis have all decided that this means in relation to the jews . i do admit that i haven't discussed this with any rabbis, gone to any shiurim, or googled what the rabbanim think of this situation. if you haven't yet guessed i will offer my humble interpretation. there were  33 miners . on the 33rd day of the omer rabbi akiva's students stopped dying from a plague . the 33rd day  of the the omer 18 Iyar is also shimon bar yochai's yahrtzeit. so perhaps there is something good about the number 33 that saved them. or maybe hashem wanted to show us that despite all of the horrible wars and natural disasters ( floods, tsunamis, hurricanes) there are also acts of god where joyous moments  happen. awful things do not have to occur just so we pay attention to hashem's hand in the world. i'm just saying that we should all try real hard to realise that the miracle of the rescue of the chilean miners is from hashem .

there's no place like home

in the wizard of oz dorothy clicked her shoes and said "there's no place like home" . having been a person who always likes to go out on the town, i haven't always been able to relate to dorothy's wish. recently its been easier to understand her sentiment. often when i come home i  immediately think about how good it feels to be home. life can be so stressful . its nice to return to the safe cocoon of my own home.

mother's day

i have something rather offbeat to say about mother's day after reading this post by webgirl. in addition to honoring our mothers on mother's day i think that its important for people to thank hashem for being a mother. that is if one is a mother. i know that if/when i get to be a mother i will be very thankful and grateful. i bet hallmark hasnt created a card for this.

to all those who are mothers today have a happy mothers day.