Pesach 2010 -- Surprisingly Put-Together!

Believe it, or not, I had my kids pack for both our Eilat trip and our Pesach vacation several days BEFORE our Eilat trip!  I had the kids pack:
1. a bag for Eilat
2. a bag for the first and last days of Pesach
3. a bag for camping/the juggling convention

I also had them pull out all our camping and juggling equipment, including what we borrowed from friends. 

I wanted to make sure we left on time and had everything we needed.  And that preparation for our vacations created as little stress as possible.

This might be the first (and only) time I have ever been so put-together!

We came home for Shabbat HaGadol, so that we would have time to rest and recover from Eilat, before heading out for Pesach.  We also needed to do a bit of laundry so that we all would have what we needed for both trips.

Several weeks in advance, I arranged to spend Shabbat HaGadol lunch at our friends, R&AD.  The day before we left, a good friend, CV, offered to cook us chicken soup, with chicken, for Friday night dinner.  So, in besides making rice and defrosting a few additional leftovers, I had plenty of time to rested on Friday. Even so, I slept most of Shabbat! 

On Sunday, I finished up the laundry and all our packing.  Sunday night we did a very focused "bedikat hametz."  Monday morning, we let the kids "sleep in."

My one oversight was that I forgot that we would need kosher l'Pesach (yes, the proper pronunciation is kosher l'Fesach) food for the kids on Monday.  When we realized the kids had nothing to eat, we sent them out to buy some basics.  Unfortunately, by that time, the mini-markets were all closed.  The kids managed to purchase some potato chips at a nearby kiosk and we opened a jar of gefilte fish.  It was not great, but it was enough.

After they ate, we all showered.  Then we packed the trunk with the bags we would not need until Chol HaMoed, and piled the rest of our bags in the back seat, over and under our kids.  I also squeezed several items under my legs and held several bags on my lap.  Somehow we managed.  The kids were AMAZINGLY cooperative, especially considering how we packed them in like sardines!

We arrived at my Rav's home, over an hour before hadlakat neirot (candle lighting) -- that is unheard of, for us!  I even had a chance to nap before Seder!!  (I really needed it!!)

The plan was to head up north right after Yom Tov, but Moshe forgot an essential item at home.  so, we had to go back.  It turns out that the kids and I had also left behind several non-essential items that we were very happy to pick up.  So, it was a gam zu l'tovah ("all for the best") situation. 

Nevertheless, it did mean that, once again, we left an hour later than we had planned.

Luckily, the ride to Sde Eliyahu only took an hour and a half to two hours.

It was a fun ride.  We talked and laughed and listened to music.  Everyone was in a good mood after Chag.

We arrived at Sde Eliyahu around midnight.  Within minutes, we were all in PJs, and in bed!



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Vacation -- Anticipation and Excitement

A blogger described an upcoming vacation and received this comment:
"Thanks!  I need new furniture!"
So, I am posting this three days after I wrote it, as we are already on our way back home!
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I am so excited!

We NEVER go away the week before Pesach! 

Like most Jews, that is our busiest week of the year, filled with cleaning, sorting, cooking, and all sorts of "things to do!"

I know a few people who vacation during that week.  I am in awe their ability to be so organized and put together!  They leave for vacation, knowing their home is already ready for Pesach, a WEEK in advance!!

I could never get it together that early.  On the other hand, wouldn't it be nice.....

Well, this year, we are doing it!  We are going away for three days, during the week before Pesach!

If it were just my vacation, I would totally camp out on the beach! But Moshe does not like camping and he does not like the beach!  So, when I found out we could "piggy back" on our friend's time share (haver mevi haver), we made reservations to stay at the Club Hotel with our friends. It is a five star hotel and we would have a full suite to ourselves for only 700 NIS ($175) per night, for two nights.

Then we found out that the deal did not include breakfast.

Since I do not eat much, that did not deter me, even though I love hotel breakfasts. The lack of a hotel breakfast did bother my family, especially Moshe. 

The cost of adding breakfast was outrageous (about 200 NIS, or $50). We could buy fresh bread, cheese and vegetables for a fraction of that amount!

I decided to contact the youth hostel, which was next door to the hotel. Rooms cost 521 NIS ($130) for youth hostel members (you can purchase a family membership,for just 50 NIS ($12.50), when you check in), and includes breakfast. We would all bunk in one room, with two bunk beds plus a cot.

No pool, no slides, no microwave in the room. Those "extras" did not really interest Moshe.  Since we planned to be out and about during the day, they did not matter to me either.

Both places include air-conditioning (a "must" for Moshe) and a mini refrigerator (not a "must" for me, but a big "plus").

Since I would be just as happy to sleep on the beach, with no A/C and no breakfast, I gave Moshe the choice: Fancy room, with comfy beds vs. cramped room with breakfast.

He did not even hesitate.

My eldest was a little disappointed about the downgrade (she likes the comfy beds!), but, given the choices, she agreed with her dad.

We all enjoy having breakfast prepared for us!


Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,

Pesach Vacation 5769 --

The truth is that I was interested in seeing the International Show.

Though we could have bought an extra ticket, I realized:
1. that it was important for MD to have time alone with his Abba (dad)
and
2. that I should stay and hang out with the girls.

Now, as soon as she finished eating and clearing up, Y buried herself inside her tent. She seriously ran away from the mosquitos! She covered herself from head to toe and had no intentions of stepping foot outside of her sleeping bag, never mind her tent.

But, mosquitos or no, A and I needed to go to the bathroom before going to bed, and that meant a walk to the gym.

I suggested to Y that even if she did not need to use the bathroom right that moment, she would probably need to use it some time that evening. And, if she did not go with us, she would have to go on her own.

At first, Y adamantly refused to leave her "safe haven." But, logic eventually won out.

So, the three of us made our way to the gym. When we got there, we ran into YB's daughters. (I had run into YB earlier, but somehow the girls had not found each other before.)

Well, all of a sudden, my girls were no longer tired and the mosquitos were inconsequential.

They started playing this game that reminded me of nok-hocky, but not quite. In this two player game, also on a simple wooden board, players use their fingers to shoot wooden pucks through a hole in a wooden barrier. (you can see the game on this video of the Juggler's Convention, at 1:35)

I was really tired, but it was so good to see the girls having fun that I decided to hang around. I started talking with Super Charlie, one the of juggling equiptment vendors. (He makes most of his equiptment from recycled materials.) He's a really nice guy with an interesting story.

At one point, A went into the gym to do gymnastics on the mats. Later she told me that had she known earlier that there were mats, she would have had more fun . Hello!?! I did tell her! Several times!! (sometimes, it can be frustrating being a mom!)

Y also finally got into things. She borrowed some juggling equiptment from Super Charlie (he had a whole big box of equiptment available for playing) and went into the gym to practice.

Charlie offered to teach me how to juggle with scarves, so we went in too. It was a different experience, being on the floor with the jugglers. It was fun.

The gym was not so crowded, and I enjoyed watching my girls having a good time.

All during the convention, I noticed how helpful and friendly other jugglers are. That night, when Y was playing with a set of poi, a young girl came over and just started showing her how to do things. When Y figured out one trick, the girl showed her another.

The dynamic was so special. That quality of encouragement and comraderie is what made the atmosphere so appealing to me.

Around 11:00 pm, Y got tired, and headed off to bed. She left as MD and Moshe arrived. The International Show was over and the gym started filling up again. Moshe only stayed a few minutes, then he also left to go to sleep. At midnight, I pulled A and MD out, so we could sleep too.

It was the end of a good, long day.

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The next morning, it was time to pack up.

My mistake, and it was a big one, was not feeding them before we started packing up. I wanted to finish packing everything up before it got too hot. But the kids got grumpy.

At one point, I got fed up with all the complaining, and gave the kids a bit of a chewing out. Afterwards, I noticed A seemed upset. I asked her what was wrong. She protested that she had not been complaining and that I unjustly accused her of such. I realized she was right, and I apologized. Things were better after that.

Moshe finally arrived, bringing good things for breakfast. My friend, B, had packed us a going away picnic. The kids were thrilled to find cold, fresh melon! That sure helped pick up everyone's mood!!

I had insisted that we finish packing the car before eating, so when we finished, we were ready to be on our way.

Our final stop was Gan Garoo, a Kangaroo Park adjacent to Sahne. It is a small, quaint park, where kangaroos usually roam free and can be fed and petted by visitors.

Entrance to the park was free during Pesach, thanks to Bank HaPoalim. Due to the high volume of visitors, the kangaroos chose to remain apart, in roped off areas.

After viewing the koalas and the kangaroos, the girls went on ahead. We found them later, doing the various mazes that are also a part of this unique park. MD, Moshe and I did one of the mazes together.

Before we left, we all got ice pops, a rare treat for our family.

It was a great way to end our camping trip: sitting in the shade, on a hot day, sucking cool, sweet popsickles.

Then we stuffed ourselves back into our car, and began the crowded drive back south.



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Pesach Vacation 5769 -- Juggling Camp

The fun began at 7:30 pm, with the Israeli Gala Event -- some of Israel's best jugglers performed, including a kid named Ofek, who had a really professional performance and was amazing on the diabolo! (check out this video; there are more videos of him here)

Our son, MD, juggles the diabolo, so it was especially inspirational for him to see another kid who juggled so impressively!

The girls were less enthusiastic, but that is only because they were still pouting about not going swimming! (see previous post)

As we were walking back to our campsite, I met my friend FB, who was there with her whole family! What fun, to discover other friends there!

At the campsite, I found my son laying down inside the tent. He did not want to join us for dinner; his head still hurt him. I suggested that perhaps he would prefer to go with his Abba to sleep in our friends' home. I was surprised when he agreed. When I kissed him goodnight, I could tell he had a fever. No wonder he was so unhappy!

My friends from Sde Eliyahu came to visit, but only B was going was planning to stay. So, after a quick "hello, howryadoin'?", the menfolk all took off.

We had a nice picnic dinner with the ladies, then my girls went off into one tent and B and I went into the other. We should have gone to sleep right away, but who can resist talking in the cool night air, gazing up at the stars, with the sounds of nature all around?

Eventually, we drifted off to sleep.

Now, in the old days, I could just throw my sleeping bag on the ground, crawl in, and sleep soundly through the night. Yet, there I was, inside a tent, sleeping on TWO mizronei shetach (field mats) and I was still uncomfortable. I did not sleep well.

In the morning, we all got into our bathing suits and headed off for a swim! The water was cool and refreshing!

By the time we returned to our campsite, Moshe and MD were back. We had a nice picnic lunch, then Moshe and MD headed over to the gym, where the jugglers were practicing. I rested for a while then B and I went to join them. It was fun watching my son and the other jugglers practice.

The atmosphere was very friendly. Everyone seemed to be helpful and courteous.

There were all sorts of jugglers. There were also mats and ropes for acrobatics.

It sort of felt as if we were behind the scenes at a circus.

At four, one of the visiting troupes, Le Bo Trio, would be performing on the trampoline. I went to gather my girls, who were lounging about on the grass. Reluctantly, they accompanied me back to the gym. The performance was phenomenal!! (check out this video)

When the show ended, I helped my son get his own diabolo.

While he was choosing what he wanted, Moshe, the girls, and B went back in to watch another circus troupe perform. After MD picked out what he wanted, we went in and caught the end of the show.

Afterwards, we went back to our campsite. The kids were getting a little tired of the same meals, over and over. When B's husband came to pick her up, he brought a surprise: shakshouka, and it was still hot. The kids were thrilled!

It would have been a really nice dinner, had it not been for the gazillion mosquitos that suddenly swarmed around us!!

We only bought two tickets to the International Gala performance. MD wanted to go with his Abba (dad), so after dinner they went off to see the show.

I thought the girls and I would go to sleep early, but plans have a way of changing....



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Pesach Vacation 5769 -- the fun is only just beginning.....

Weeks before Pesach, my son started talking about the Juggling Convention during Chol HaMoed. Enthusiastically, he explained that you can camp there over Shabbat, that they give you a bracelet, and that there are going to be some of the best jugglers in the world.

Information fell from him in bits and pieces, often when I was busy doing something else.

As Pesach approached, he showed me information on-line, but it was in Hebrew and I did not have the time to read it. It did not occur to me that there might also be information in English.

We often take advantage of Chol HaMoed to visit friends in far off places, especially friends who live up north of down south. But, a few days before Pesach, my girls, especially Y, expressed their desire to go camping.

Now, I love camping, but Moshe really does not. He does not mind if we (read: the kids and I) go camping, but he wants to sleep somewhere with air-conditioning.

In the past, even though he did not enjoy it, Moshe came and helped a lot. The kids were much younger then, and he basically kept an eye on the younger kids while my eldest did her best to help me set up camp.

With the cancer in my bones, camping is more difficult for me than it used to be. Still, now that the kids are older, I figured we could do it if all the kids pitch in and help.

When I learned that the Juggling Convention would be at Gan HaShlosha (Sahne) in Emek Beit She'an, I realized we could combine everyone's needs and interests.

We have really good friends who live less than a ten minute drive from there, on Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu; Moshe could sleep there.

We had all sorts of plans, including a day trip that Y, my eldest, found, after searching the internet for something appropriate for our family's needs. We planned on spending the first day at the Juggling convention and the second day doing Y's tiyul (hike).

Well, you know how it is...

We fully intended to get on our way either on motzai Shabbat (Saturday night) or early Sunday morning.

In the end, we left Hareisha (where we had spent Shabbat), on Sunday, after noon! Which means we arrived at Sahne after 2:30!

We paid the more expensive admission for attending the Juggler's Convention, then we found a place to park. The kids were all hungry (and bickering), so we quickly found a picnic table and sat down to lunch. (Like me, my kids are easily aggitated when they need to eat)

We did not see any jugglers. Not one. Only lots and lots of Israelis!

Eventually, we asked one of the park attendees where the jugglers were. He looked us over and then told us that we had to pay extra for that. I told him we had.

"Really?" He asked us, disbelievingly.

"Yes, really," I insisted.

"Then you don't belong here," he responded, and directed us to where the jugglers were camped.

It was hot and the girls really wanted to go swimming. I did too, but I wanted to get settled in first.

We got back in our car (no small feet, since the only way to fit into our small car with all our stuff was for the kids and I to be buried under our belongings!), and drove to the very end of the park, where it took us at least another 10-15 minutes to figure out where to park.

When we got to the entrance of the convention, we found out that the entrance fee to the park did not cover entrance to the convention! Furthermore, if you did not pre-register (which we did not), the admission fee was twice as high! Moreover, the international performance was not covered in the admission and if you want to attend that, you have to purchase additional tickets!

This was way more than I bargained for!!

The one consolation was that the higher entrance fee to Sahne was a one time fee for the entire juggling convention, including the ability to remain after closing time (4:00 pm) and camp out.

After several minutes of deliberation, we decided to stay and camp there for both nights. My eldest was not happy about that decision. She really wanted to camp out at least one night by the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). But it was already late and camping out at Sahne made the most sense for a variety of reasons.

By the time we set up our camp, it was almost dark. The main park was closed and we could no longer go swimming. My girls were very disappointed and quite petulant. My son was also complaining that his head hurt.

"This reminds me why I don't like camping," Moshe whispered to me.

It was not an auspicious beginning....



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Pesach Seder 5769 (2009)

Not only did we pack everything we needed to leave our home for all seven days of Pesach, but we even managed to fit everything into our modest family car (five seater, hatchback). OK, it was a little squishy, but we made it! Hopefully, I'll find a better way to pack everything for the longer car trips. (We really need a roof rack!)

This is one of my very useful, but unmarketable skills. I am great at packing things into small spaces. I learned to pack a trunk from my dad, who is the only person I know who can do a better job than I.

When we arrived at my in-laws, everything was beautifully set out.

Moshe's parents asked him to lead the Seder. Moshe managed to keep everyone engaged, despite the fact that we were all really tired both from preparations as well as from getting up at 5:00 in the morning for Birkat HaChammah.

This year's Seder was much more streamlined than last year's. But it was still a dynamic Seder with participation from all involved.

We said maggid (the telling of the story) in the living room, which was very comfortable. I drifted off for a few moments, waking to discover that I missed an entire section of maggid!

Had everyone not been so tired, I would have requested that we sing the songs again. But I could not ask that this year.

Later, when we moved back to the dining room, I had to take a second break. I went to lie down on the couch, and participated from there (when I was not dozing off).

After dinner, my son and eldest daughter finished up on their own and went to bed. Only my youngest daughter stayed up and sang with me to the end.

This year, when we finished Seder, I did not insist on singing all of the fun songs at the end.

I was just as happy as everyone else to go straight to bed.

I left Moshe to help his mom tidy up and I crashed!



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

The Day Before Pesach: Chemo, B'dikat Chametz, and Birkat HaChama

Chemo Day: 9:00am-3:00pm

I have no words to thank my friend RG who spent the whole day with me, the day before Pesach!! Special thanks also to her husband, who held down the fort so she could hang with me.

Special thanks also to NT who came to pick me up when I finished... on the day before Pesach!

When I arrived home, I discovered that my two girls did about half of what I asked them to do. Which is not bad, but a little challenging when all I wanted to do was grab an hour or two of sleep.

Did I mention, it is the day before Pesach?

No nap for me!

At 2:21 am, Moshe finished B'dikat Hametz about the same time that I finished my kitchen (read: I finished everything that cannot wait until tomorrow).

My refrigerator is Kosher L'Pesach. My cabinets, ovens, drawers, and machsan (storage room) are closed for Pesach. The floor is done, again. (special thanks to my youngest!) I left a few things out, to be finished by tomorrow. And I am finally ready to go to sleep!

I have two dishwashers going and I remembered to throw my son's clothes in the washing machine, so that is going too.

By 2:30, all the kids were asleep. (thank God!)

How we are going to wake them at 5:0o in the morning is a mystery to me.

Jews around the world are excited about Birkat HaChamah tomorrow. Every 28 years, the sun is aligned exactly the way it was on the day of creation, so we go out at daybreak to say a 10 second bracha (blessing). Yes, it is that short! We say an assortment of Tehillim (Psalms) and other things so it lasts a bit longer. Otherwise you would blink and it would be over.

Moshe got it into his head that it would be totally cool to do this on Har HaBayit (The Temple Mount). I agreed that it would be cool, but thought it was insane to do it on Erev Pesach!

I told him that if he took care of all the organizing, I would go along. Then, it occured to me that my kids might also think it was an insane idea. I was prepared to let Moshe go on his own while I slept a few extra hours and took the kids to the top of our mountain with the rest of our community.

Surprise! The kids are totally into it. Even my son, who is majorly sleep deprived from his tiyul.

So, we are all getting up at 5:00 to go daven (pray) at the Kotel at the crack of dawn, 5:45 am to be exact, (with this group). After davening, there will be a siyum and a seudat mitzvah for those who need it (like Moshe, who is a bachor), and then aliyah laHar at 7:30 am.

Everyone except my youngest needed to go to the mikveh, which was no problem for me, Moshe, or our son (Moshe took him, at midnight, to Yeshivat Itri, in Beit Safafa, which has a men's mikveh that is always open). Taking my daughter was a bit more complicated, but I did it! (I'd love to blog about it, but not today....)

So, my apologies for not providing relevant links to all the references in this blog post.

It is now 3:03am. I am getting up in less than two hours.

Did I mention it is the day before Pesach?!!?



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Pesach Preparations -- the traditional kind

First, let me be clear, I only clean for Pesach. I do not do “spring cleaning.”

Second, I only clean the bare minimum. I don't worry about the dust or the clutter. I just worry about getting rid of chametz.

In the past, I spent a lot of time and energy getting rid of chametz. We used to completely rid our home of all things chametzdik (of, or having to do with, chametz).

Moshe does not believe in selling chametz and I do not believe in wasting food.

So, starting around Tu B'Shvat, I stopped stocking up and started working our way through our stores of food and condiments.

I also started contacting food companies to verify the sources of various ingredients. I needed to know, was the vinegar made from wheat or barley, or was it synthetic or make from something else? What about dextrose and dextrin? Were they made from corn, wheat or barley? I could keep the corn derivatives, since I can own kitniyot (even if I can't eat them), but wheat or barley derivatives had to be finished, given away, or thrown out.

Many companies assumed I was asking about gluten, so I had to explain that this was not a health question, but a religious question. It was an educational experience!! And it took time!

I used to check EVERYTHING!

Not anymore.

Ever since I started dealing with the cancer thing, I just can't do it. For a while, I still made the effort to contact companies. Not this year. I spent too much time feeling sick and tired.

Much to Moshe's chagrin, I have taken to selling our chametz.

I sort through what I can. We finish what can be finished. And then I just sell the rest.

So, in theory, I should really have a fairly easy time preparing for Pesach. I just basically need to clean and kasher my kitchen. Oh, yeah, and our extra refrigerator and freezer.

This year, we might not be home at all during Pesach. So, I am not even going to kasher my oven.

We are going to Moshe’s parents for Seder, to his sister’s for Shabbat Chol HaMo’ed, and to our good friends’ for Sh’vi’i L’Fesach (the seventh day of Pesach, with is also a Yom Tov).

But cleaning always takes more time than I expect!

Despite the fact that both girls helped out a lot, we did not finish in two days. (my son is off on three day tiyul (hike), so he got a "free pass" this year)

Sunday, we (read: my girls) cleaned the extra fridge and freezer.

Monday, all I wanted was to clean our main fridge and have everything put away. We did not finish.

Tuesday, I have chemo. I started to panic.

As I sat with my girls and discussed what they would need to do, my eldest jumped in and said "we can finish the refrigerator; we already know what to do."

There is still plenty of work that I have to do. I have to put everything away (the girls will help with that), and I would like to clean our stove, and kasher our grill (so we can take it with us and have a bar-b-que if we camp out).

We are still debating where to be, and what to do, during the 2-3 days of chol hamo'ed.

The kids really want to camp out. They also want to do some hiking and go to the beach.

If we go camping, I'll camp with the kids and Moshe will find somewhere more comfortable to sleep. I wish he liked camping, but he just does not.

I LOVE camping, but my body is not what it used to be. With cancer throughout my bones, I am a bit more sensitive about where I sleep.

I hope I am up for the challenge!!



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

You Never Know....

Anyone live in Milwaukee, or know someone who lives in Milwaukee?

I am looking for a family to host a friend of mine (not Jewish) for Seder.

She lives in Wisconsin, not far from Milwaukee.

If you know someone or have any ideas, please email me at coffeeandchemo@gmail.com



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Shabbat HaGadol (the Shabbat before Pesach)

I planned on a simple Shabbat... but my good intentions got the best of me.

I invited my in-laws.

We are going to Moshe's parents for Pesach Seder. So, I thought it would be nice to invite them for Shabbat HaGadol (the Shabbat before Pesach).

My MIL (mother-in-law) is totally put together. Her Shabbat table is always set on Thursday night, and her cooking is always done by then as well.
(My Shabbat table is set… before we eat on Shabbat… and my cooking is finished by….. well, I finish cooking before Shabbat. OK, so we have a mad rush to set the plata (hot plate) and everything else before we light Shabbat candles. Wanna’ make something of it?! I admit it; I am not good at the “domestic” thing. Suffice it to say that my MIL and I have very different strengths and weaknesses!)

Anyway, I knew that her kitchen would be kashered (koshered) for Pesach before Shabbat. (I was right)

My in-laws do a lot for my family and me. I often wish there was more that I could do for them. I knew that it would make things easier for them to come to us for Shabbat. Also, it has been a long time since we had them over. So, I enthusiastically invited my in-laws, without even consulting my husband. (oops!)

Then, it turned out that Moshe had to go to work on Friday. He worried about not being around to help when we were having his parents over. I assured him that we would manage.

You see, that is what is so great about Shabbat. Whether you are ready or not, it comes and you make do.

Sure enough, Moshe arrived home at the same time as his parents, about half an hour before candle lighting. The food was cooked, the beds were ready (almost), and the house was cleaned (relatively speaking).

I still had the Shabbat table to clear off (despite my best intentions to keep it clear all week long) and the kitchen counters (which seem to have gotten cluttered again, after a whole month of keeping them clean).

When I invited them, my MIL asked if she could bring something. I suggested that a salad would be helpful, but I emphasized that they did not need to worry about bringing anything.

Well, my MIL arrived with a fabulous fresh garden salad and the ingredients for several other salads. She and my FIL also brought fresh pastries for Shabbat morning and two platters of ready made schnitzels (fried chicken cutlets) for lunch. And fresh Challot. And two boxes of sweet cereal for the kids to finish!

Shabbat was wonderful.

It has been a while since we have hosted guests for all of Shabbat, and my in-laws are great guests.

I had to cut out a bit early from dinner, and I crashed on the couch after the main part of lunch, but I did not have to worry. My husband and kids were happy to entertain! (It was difficult for my MIL to see my pain and my need for pain killers. I tried to make light of it, but I could tell she felt distraught.)

When I awoke from my Shabbat nap, my kitchen was neat and tidy. That was definitely my MIL’s magic!!

After Shabbat, my in-laws had to rush home. I might have liked them to stay longer, but I also had to get right down to “business.” Early Sunday morning, my son would be leaving for a three day tiyul (hiking trip). He needed my help packing!

The only disappointment was that when we were done packing for his tiyul, it was too late to watch Star Trek.

My eldest was out with her youth group, so she did not mind. But my youngest was really disappointed, as was my husband.

Had I realized earlier that family Star Trek night was not going to work out, I would have suggested that my daughter and husband do something special together.

*sigh*



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Pesach Preparations

I am not talking about cleaning here.

I am talking about scheduling chemo.

Especially now, when I get chemo every week, I have less room to play around.

With my previous chemo (Navalbine/vinorelbine), I had greater flexibility. My blood counts were always good, so if I needed to, I could receive my treatments up to two days early.

Not so with the Taxol.

I can only receive treatments up to one day early.

Since I receive treatments on Thursdays, there is no option to receive treatments one day later. The oncology day ward is closed on Fridays and, of course, on Saturdays as well. (Hospitals in Israel are open and function on Shabbat, but only for things that cannot wait)

So, between my not-so-new-anymore treatment and my not-so-new-anymore chemo day, I am much more limited.

This year, the first day of Pesach falls out on Wednesday evening and Thursday. (Jewish days begin with nightfall on the previous day, and end with nightfall)

Most institutions in Israel give off for the day before a holiday, as well as the day of the holiday. Thus, the oncology day ward will be closed on both Wednesday and Thursday.

Since I can only move my chemo up by one day at a time, I had to plan in advance.

So, my Pesach preparations included scheduling chemo for this week on Wednesday, so I could receive chemo next week on Tuesday!

Phew! (just thinking about it all makes me tired!)

My next chemo day will be on my regular schedule: the Thursday after Pesach, Isru Chag (“the day after”), which is a regular day for most of the country, but is still a holiday from school kid.

I hate having chemo when the kids are still home, but at least it is after Pesach.

The nice thing about all these Pesach preparations is that I will have all of Pesach off. (YAY!)

V’Samachta B’Chagecha! (“And you will rejoice on your holiday!”)





Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Seder -- An All-Time Record!

I meant to post this on Pesach, but I never got around to it... until now.

So, just think of this as a "time-warp"... :-)

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We didn't mean to start so late.

We came back from shul, threw a few things into a soup pot, and set the table. Everything else was prepared in advance.

But there we were, starting Seder after 10:00 pm.

We tried to stay focussed. We really did. But everyone had what to say...

At around 1:30, my mother mentioned something about the seudah (festive meal)....

Y, my eldest, quipped: "The food is not important!"

My other kids all agreed.

(Have I mentioned how lucky I am to have the greatest kids in the world?!)

We went on.... focussed, but not in a rush.

Sometimes we listened quietly to Moshe's explanations. Other times we were all clamoring to be heard.

It was fun.

It was dynamic.

We said maggid in the living room, all sprawled out on chairs and couches, and none of us fell asleep! (well, my parents might have dozed off here and there, but not for long...)

At one point, MD said we should take a long time, so that we would finish at sunrise, so we could say Sh'ma (morning prayers), like the tana'im (Rabbis). We laughed and firmly declared that "We are not going to talk all night!" (little did we know....)

At almost 3:00 am, we finally reached the end of maggid, and read "B'chol Dor VaDor..." (In every generation, each person is obligated to see himself as if he left Egypt). At that point, the kids jumped up to present their play: "The M****** Family Leaves Egypt".

(I was notified in advance that the kids were going to make fun of our family....)

The play opened with Y (clearly playing me) sitting and staring at a (virtual) computer. She is "reading" and "typing", occasionally laughing, and oblivious to what is going on around her. MD and A, playing themselves, are trying to get "my" attention. "We are hungry," they say repeatedly, "What's for dinner?" Their voices grow louder and louder. Y finally notices them and says "There is food in the sink... no, the television... no, the refrigerator..." The kids finally find the food and sit down to eat....

Then, "Moshe" (played by Y) comes home and whisks the kids off to bed. As he says the Sh'ma with them, MD keeps spacing out. "Moshe" repeatedly snaps his fingers in MD's face, to keep him focussed. Then, as "Moshe" is singing the kids to sleep, it is "Moshe" who keeps dozing off in the middle, and the kids who have to wake him up to keep singing.

When the kids are asleep, Moshe tells RivkA that "Moshe (Moses) has been talking to Par'oh (Pharaoh) again.... We are leaving Egypt tomorrow."

RivkA jumps up, and exclaims hysterically "What?! We have to pack!"

In the morning, it is difficult to wake MD up. Then, the children are fighting to get in the shower. "A, hurry up already!!" "Y, are you ready yet???"

Then we see Y struggling to decide what to wear... She has many clothes but does not like any of them. "I have nothing to wear!" She shouts in desperation.

Finally, we see the family with knapsacks on their back.

"What do you have in your bag?" They ask each other. Moshe pulls out a bottle of coke.... another bottle of coke.... the remote control for the air conditioner.... and another bottle of coke."

(the real Moshe is laughing so hard, his eyes are tearing...)

Then we see the family trudging, exhausted, pushing themselves forward.... out of the kitchen.

They open the front door, see all their friends, and, with a sudden burst of energy, run to catch up....

THE END.

We begin singing Hallel.... We eat.... We go back to the living room....

I start to doze off towards the end (or maybe it was in the middle) of benching. Moshe wakes me up and says "We are finishing Hallel, if you want to sing, now's the time."

I semi-sit up and start singing. Y & A are drifting off on the other couch. MD is next to me and singing along. The more I sing, the more I wake up. By the end of Hallel, I am on a roll! We zip through the end of the Seder and I am ready for more. So we sing all the songs at the end as well.

We finish at.... (drumroll, please)..... 5:30 in the morning.

The sky was already light!

All joking aside, I asked Moshe if he wanted to daven "Neitz" (pray at sunrise).

He looked at me as if I had fallen out of the sky. "I just want to go to bed," he said.

We all stumbled into bed.

As I was drifting off to sleep, Moshe whispered, "You know, I was joking about singing Hallel. I never expected you to actually wake up and start singing!"


Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Pesach Visit to Har Grizim (Thursday, Chol HaMoed)

We all agreed that the weather was too hot and sticky to do anything before the afternoon.

So our family had a lazy Thursday morning. We slept late, ate a relaxed brunch, and eventually got on our way....

We drove to the Muqata and met up with Jameel and his family. Jameel had arranged a visit to the Shomron (Samaritan) community, on Har Grizim. Jameela could not join us, because of the little Jameelians. But afterwards, we would return to the Muqata for a yummy bar-b-q and lots of salads. (all my latent vegetarian tendencies disappear with the sizzle of an outdoor grill....)

At around 4:00 pm, we drove to the small Samaritan Museum, next door to the Samaritan Sacrificial Plaza. As we parked our cars, Yefet HaCohen (The Priest) called down to greet us from an upstairs window.

As we climbed the stairs to the museum, we were greeted by a tall, poised, older gentleman, dressed in a white flowing robe with golden trim, a white turban, with a neatly trimmed beard, and an engaging smile. He warmly welcomed us, greeting everyone individually, and shaking hands with the men and boys.

Then we entered the quaint, one-room museum, whose walls were covered with rich maroon tapestries, embroidered with golden letters of ancient Hebrew. On one wall were books, on another pictures; another had a glass display filled with coins and jewelry; another had ceramic vessels. Some areas of the room were carefully presented, while others seemed to be strewn together.

Yefet sat us down, and began his story. He told of centuries of persecution. With pride, he traced his ancestry, pointing to his beautifully framed geneology in the shape of a menorah, each generation denoted by a seperate golden link.

( In the background is a picture of the current Cohen Gadol (High Priest), the eldest member of Yefet's clan)


Yefet described Samaritan traditions. Their holidays, their traditions. According to Yefet, all Samaritans are religious, though they dress in Western fashion and have television and internet.

Seeing our interest, his excitement grows. He takes us behind a curtain, to a back room, his study. There he shows us various research projects, to which he has devoted his life.

When it is time for afternoon prayers, Yefet invites us to observe. We are all welcome to enter the Beit Knesset (synagogue), even the women (though there are only men in the Beit Knesset). The service is foreign and there is no women's section. After a few minutes of standing in the back, I go outside.


Sitting on a bench, on the sidewalk in front of the Beit Knesset, is a group of teenage girls talking in Hebrew. They are Samaritans from Holon. They look like secular Israelis. The Beit Knesset is for the men and boys, they tell me. They have no interest in joining the public prayers.

I ask them what it is like to be in school with Jews. It is normal, they answer; they are used to it. They start laughing and teasing each other about boys.


In the middle, Jameel's son walks by, eating a bag of Kosher L'Pesach Bisli (Israeli junk food).

"That's chametz to us," says one of the girls.

"You shouldn't walk around here with it," explains another, anxious for the forbidden food to be removed.

The intensity seemed incongruous with the secular dress.

One of the girls explains that they don't purchase any prepared foods on Pesach. On Pesach, everything is cooked and baked at home.

Then the girls asked about the orange ribbons and bumper stickers on our cars. How can we drive around like that? It is dangerous (because of all the Arab villages in the area). We are "asking for trouble."

Their attitude reflects something Yefet said earlier. The community is extremely cautious not to offend, lest they be persecuted and destroyed... again.

With only 730 Samaritans left, from a community that once numbered over a million, it is easy to understand their fear.

Yet the community seems open and friendly. Our group is a curiosity. We receive lots of looks... and lot of smiles.

"You should come see our Pesach sacrifice," one of the girls says invitingly, "That is really something to see."


For more about our day and the Samaritans, check out Jameel's Post.



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Pesach Pursuits OR God is Laughing....Again!

There are ALWAYS too many COOL "things to do" and NEVER enough TIME!!

We were slow getting our week's plans in order, which means that we mostly had "down time" on Monday. At the end of the day, we met friends at the Botanical Gardens. We briefly saw my SIL, whose beautiful paintings were on exhibit by the duck pond. We did not see much of the park, but what we saw, we enjoyed! We could have stayed longer, like many Israelis who remained LONG after the park officially closed. Instead, we hung out, talking, in the parking lot...

Tuesday, we joined my SIL, from Gush Katif/Hareisha, at Nachshonit (a small, Israeli amusement park). Moshe woke the kids at 7:00 and we left at 9:45 -- less than an hour later than planned; quite impressive for our crew! Despite detour delays, caused by LONG stretches of highways 443 AND 444 being closed, we arrived less than an hour after the park opened. Ironically, once we entered the park, we spent most of our time waiting on lines. Still, the rides were fun and the kids had a great time playing with their cousins. At the end of the day, we sat at the edge of the parking lot and had hung out a bit longer... (Notice a pattern here??)

My parents left in my car and, on the way home, the engine overheated. My dad managed to drive to a gas station in Jerusalem just as the engine started steaming....

We planned to go to Tel Shilo the next morning, and we needed both cars....

During one day of Chol HaMoed, there is "living history" at Tel Shilo -- actors dress in period costumes and tell "their" ancient story. I wanted to go to Shilo last Succot, but the "living history" day was Tuesday and I had chemo!

So I waited for Pesach...

I have off from chemo this Chol HaMoed and thought to go to Shilo on Tuesday. But... this Chol HaMoed, the "living history" is on Wednesday... Oh, no! Remember: big get-together on Wednesday??

Wait! We can do it all!!

We will get up early (again!) and get there when the site opens. A friend, who I davka met at chemo, is in charge of hadracha (tour guiding) at Shilo; she told me that 3 hours is plenty of time to see everything. Since we are slow, I figured we needed at least 4 hours. We would get to park Gilo by 2:30/3:00.

The broken car was just a "glitch." We could still do it!

I prepared everything in advance! I left lists for what needed to be done in the morning! If you did not know me, you might get the mistaken impressions that I was "put together!" I was uncharacteristically organized! I was determined!

I got up super early and brought the car in at 7:30, when the shop opened. If they worked on the car right away, I could get out of there by 8:30 or 9:00 and we could still make it to Shilo...

"Man Plans.... God Laughs!"

You know how it is. You watch the minutes, then the hours, tick by. You do those mental calculations: "if we leave now, we can get there by.... and still have time for...." You continually revise your plans. Until, eventually, you are forced to admit that there is just no time...

I spent Wednesday morning, and half the afternoon, in Talpiot, waiting for the car doctors to complete their open-engine surgery. My poor car needed major reconstruction: a new thermostat, a new water pump, etc.

God bless my mother who got up early with me and kept me company the entire morning!

After noon, Moshe picked us up and brought us home. I ate a quick lunch and my father went back with me to pick up the car.

Seven hours (and 1,700 NIS) later, I got my car back!

Got home. Got the family together. Got out.

We arrived at Park Gilo, just past 4:00. YAY!!!

Lots of friends!! Lots of fun!!

Pesach Vacation: Two perspectives:

Through the Looking Glass:
Monday: Parking Lot Prattle
Tuesday: Parking Lot Picnic
Wednesday: Garage Shop Greetings

Looking Back:
Monday: Botanical Gardens
Tuesday: Amusement Park
Wednesday: Chevra Get-Together

Thursday: I know what I planned... We will see what happens...


Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Camping... or Not.

Four days of chol hamoed!! Five, if you count Friday! And I do not have chemo this week! It does not get any better than that!

"Perfect!" I thought, "We can go camping for a week!"

My kids and I LOVE camping. Moshe does not; he gets too hot. And, the last time we went camping together, my mom's back hurt from sleeping on the ground. So, I anticipated a bit of resistance. But I figured I could count on my dad. Not this time. All the adults vetoed the camping idea.

Hey, I'm the one with cancer! If I am up for it, they should be too!!!

Life is just not fair....


Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Pre-Pesach Procrastinations

Well, this is it....

Blogging has been a great way to take breaks (read: procrastinate) from getting ready for Pesach.

I LOVE Pesach.

I HATE Pesach preparations!

I am not one of those crazy spring-cleaning types. I just clean for Pesach.

It always takes longer than I think.

I was much more organized this year.

I made lists.

I assigned tasks.

I enlisted outside help.

The kids cleaned our cars a week early.

They cleaned their rooms at the beginning of the week.

They were available and, most of the time, helpful.

So why is there still so much to be done at the last moment?

Mom in Israel wrote a great post about Pesach Crisis Cleaning.

If you are "one of us", read the comments too. You'll be glad you did.

In addition to all the practical advice, it is so nice to know that I am not the only one!

Chag Kasher V'Sameach!


Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Chevra Get-Together

There is going to be a big chevra get-together in Park Gilo on Wednesday, the third day of Chol HaMoed, from 3:30 to 6:00 pm.

There will be lots of chevra from the "old days"! ;-)

New chevra are welcome too!

BYOM (bring your own matzah)

Spread the word!

ALL ARE WELCOME!!


Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Perspective

My son seemed so "big" as he walked out the door.

His friend, BR, had invited him to sleep over.

By going, my son chose to forgo the Pesach tiyul (hike) with his youth group.

The tiyul, he reasoned, would be with a large group of kids. He would have more fun at his friend's home.

I am proud of the maturity with which he made his decision.

His friend lives in Talpiot, just a seven minute drive away.

But I was tired, so my son was going to take the bus, by himself, for the first time.

After he left, I figured I had about two hours to myself, before the girls came home from gymnastics.

25 minutes later, there is a knock on my door.

I open the door and see my son's anguished face.

"I think I might have been waiting on the wrong side of the street.... I saw two buses going the other way...."

He is bravely trying to hold his emotions in check.

The "big, strong" boy, who left my home 25 minutes earlier, now seems so "little" and fragile.

He is "my little boy," and I need to fix this.

"Come on. I'll take you." I pronounce, hoping to swoop in and save the day.

My son looks relieved.

But as I go for my keys, I realize that my car is still in the shop and I cannot take him.

I call Moshe, but he needs to work late.

I want to fix this.

I call my neighbor, and good friend, JB. She's not home.

I call another neighbor. She is putting her kids to sleep.

My son is looking at me with wide eyes and great expectation.

I am about to break the news to him that I cannot fix this.

Just then, the phone rings.

JB calls. Her husband told her about our plight. She is on her way home and happy to help us.

My son and I quickly gather our things.

As I am locking the door, we hear a car honk.

"She's here," my son says, eager and excited.

I go along for the ride.

As we drop him off, I am struck by how "big" and how "small" my son is.

He is surely growing up.

But he still has that little boy inside of him.

And I am going to take care of him for as long as he will let me.


Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Cleaning Out the Fridge and Freezer

By far, the most challenging aspect of Pesach is cleaning out my fridge and freezer.

Now, I am not talking about the basic act of cleaning, which simply involves a bucket of soapy water, a sponge, and about an hour and a half of time.

No... that is the easy part.

The tough part is finishing off all the food that has been forgotten, buried deep inside my freezer.

Every year I discover different treasures.

This year, the "stash" includes: pastries; hamburger buns, banana muffins, cooked chicken (in a chametzdik sauce), rolls, one last challah, etc.

Our shul (synagogue) is organizing a catered community meal this Shabbat. We cannot go. We have to eat chametz!

Between our fridge and our pantry, there is too much to finish.

Usually, on Shabbat, I limit the amount of carbohydrates that the kids eat. I want them to eat something besides challah -- a little protein, some vegetables.

This Shabbat, everything goes. No limits. There will be noodles and soup nuts. Lots of desserts. Lots of couscous. Lots of challah.

It took me years to discover that all the weight I gain "during Pesach" is, in reality, gained during the month before Pesach, trying to finish all our chametz!


Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA