Shabbat Shalom July 26, 2013

Dear Friends and Family,

Alaska/Vancouver
To remind you, this email was pre-written before we left for Alaska. We cruised out of Anchorage and ended in Vancouver for a few days of touring.  I’ll include some photos in next week’s messages.

Alaskan Sun
As the Alaskan Summer sun seems confused on when to set, I thought you would find this creatively and humorously animated rendition of George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun” enjoyable:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZeKIkvnAis

Question
Here’s a question for our Country and especially Texas, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Ohio (the States with the worst Anti-Women laws).  If we want to prevent abortions, shouldn’t we ensure that every young woman has access to birth control, health care, nutrition and education ( including factual based sex education)? Not the exact opposite?

Girl Power
Due to the neighborhood, the Israeli army needed to create the most powerful force to protect itself from constant bombardment from its enemies.  Here is one reason they have been so successful:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1aepni9dra5n3ww/Noa160113_720.mov
(thanks Ettagail for sharing).

Shopping Mall Drama
Here’s a fun way to encourage Art Museum attendance:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/a6W2ZMpsxhg?feature=player_embedded (thanks, Michael B. for sharing)

Wishing you and your loved ones a Sweet and Peaceful Shabbat Shalom,

Lisa

P.S. I found a little time and internet while in Vancouver to express my condolences on the passing of Irving Weiner, father to Eric and Nancy Winer, Bruce and Rochelle Weiner and Andrew and Elizabeth Winer.  May Irv’s memory bring comfort to his sons and their families during their time of sorrow. His final wish for those who knew him was to do something adventurous in his memory.

P.P.S.  Condolences to the family and friends of the tragic train crash victims in Spain.  This marks the 3rd train accident this Summer after Quebec and France.  Speed, apparently, was the cause of this deadly crash that took the lives of 80 souls, as the driver boasted his love of speed on Facebook last year.

Happy Birthday… only a few this coming week.

July 26th

(Cultural Arts enthusiast)

July 27th

(dear friend and Irvin’s better half)

July 29th

(awesome photographer and philanthropist)

July 30th

(local Doc. and Ellen’s better half)

July 31st

(community health care provider)

Aug. 1st

(future brilliant Rabbi)

Shabbat Shalom July 19, 2013

Condolences to Sonia Gonte and her family on the passing of her mother Alice Tankard.  May her memory bring comfort to her family during their time of sorrow.

Condolences to the family, friends and fans of the young (age 31) actor (famously on Glee) Cory Monteith, who was found dead in his Vancouver hotel room last week. Drug Addiction (and Mental Illness) are literally killing our youth.  More funds, research and attention are needed to help abate this deadly direction.

Shabbat Shalom July 12, 2013

Dear Friends and Family,

Semantics
Does it really matter if it’s called Bankruptcy, A Coup or Pilot error.   Detroit may or may not go into bankruptcy but either way, the city has NO money and major changes must occur. Was it a Military Coup? Either way, new leadership is needed for the 14 Million Egyptians who filled the streets in protest.  Was it pilot error? Either way, 2 young Chinese girls are dead, many others are injured and a plane is destroyed.  Yes, we need answers but sometimes, semantics don’t matter… it’s the outcomes that are crucial.

Can normalcy return?
A tragic outcome occurred for our neighbors to the North as 50 Canadians are presumed dead after a US oil transport train (presumably with failed brakes) slammed into a Quebec town decimating it with an inferno that destroyed at least 30 buildings. Sadly, it will take years (if at all) for this town to return to normalcy.

Early demise
Amy Winehouse had an unfortunate outcome to her life with her early death, but her family wants her life to live on as a new exhibit just opened at the Jewish Museum in London.  It is meant to showcase her Jewish cultural identity and give the public a private glimpse of her short but prolific life.
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/amy-winehouses-life-explored-in-new-jewish-museum-exhibit-20130703?utm_source=dailynewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

Hate in disguise
Last month in a Paris Art Museum (subsidized by the government) a highly offensive installation opened to the dismay of the local and global Jewish Community.  The exhibit is called “Death” and it portrays (and glorifies) photos and captions of Palestinian Suicide bombers.  This is a blatant case of hatred hiding behind the shield of “Art” and Freedom of Speech.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/06/09/art-paris-museum-showcases-exhibition-of-palestinian-suicide-bombers/

Sir Paul in Vienna

 

Linda’s photo exhibit in Vienna

Train from Vienna to Budapest

 

Cat Cafe in Budapest

 

Skys of Tel Aviv

 

4th of July celebration at the home of American Ambassador Dan Shapiro

 

Views of Jaffa

Wishing you and your loved ones a Sweet and Peaceful Shabbat Shalom,

Lisa

Condolences to the families of I. William Sherr on his passing this week. May his memory as a loving father bring comfort to Margot and Michael Shapiro (and their kids), in addition to Roger and Andrea Sherr and Stuart Sherr and their families.

Condolences to Singer and Activist, Pete Seeger, on the passing of his wife and fellow activist, Toshi Seeger at the ripe and productive age of 91 and just 9 days short of their 70th wedding anniversary.

Mazel Tov on the birth of Lily Kaye to the ecstatic parents Eldan and Hilaand especially to new Saba, Jeff Kaye who will surround her with love and music.  May Lily grow in a world of peace, harmony and joy.

Here are the birthday celebration for this coming week and a few I missed from last week.

Happy Birthday…

July 2nd

Megan Topper (Happy 30th)

July 5th

July 9th

July 11th

(shared a birthday month with his father)

July 12th

July 14th

Woody Guthrie (would have been 101)

July 16th

July 18th

Please let me know if I’ve missed your or your loved ones celebration. I’m prone to errors.

Shabbat Shalom July 5, 2013

Dear Friends and Family,

Though we are currently in our beautiful homeland of Israel, we hope a festive 4th of July was had by all back in the States.  Appreciation to the United States is due in comparison to so many other places we all could be living (aside from the lovely counties some of you live in, like Israel, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Canada and England). Here is a sad and staggering statistic…80% of the World’s population lives on less than $10 a day.  Yes, fireworks are worthy of our country’s birthday (though, sadly, many in our own country suffer as well).

 

Back to America, please enjoy this vintage youtube of Simon and Garfunkel in Central Park singing America: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCbOEZ8c8dM

Did you know that back in the 1970s NYC instituted a Car Idling Law(one of my pet peeves) that states:  “NYC law restricts the idling of motor vehicle engines while parking, standing or stopping as part of the City policy to reduce air pollution. No motorized vehicle can idle for longer than 3 minutes unless it is being used to operate equipment”.  Not sure if it is enforced much, but bravo to the attempt.  By the way, it was instituted long before (do-gooder) Mayor Bloomberg (and I use that term endearingly) was elected.

I read a NY Times story about this amazing (14 year old) guitar virtuoso,Quinn Sullivan who plays and writes music all by Ear.  Hope you enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQJGIdCy5Rc

Bonus track of Quinn (age 8) of “Mother’s Natures Son”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkNnaAC_ibw&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PL8F60AF5F9C9D696A

Wishing you and your loved ones a Sweet and Peaceful Shabbat Shalom,

Lisa

P.S. I found two minutes and a computer in the lobby of our Tel Aviv Hotel to briefly reflect on the Egyptian regime chance as it has dominated our media.  Wishing the people of the  (whole) region a peaceful transition.  Also, condolences to the family and friends of the Arizona fire fighters who lost their lives battling the devastating blaze.