great trip

well 13.5 hours isnt so bad to spend cooped up in a car with the family whom you love. there was minimal fighting ,crying,biting,hitting,crying,crying in the car. the kids were really good too. we had a great time visiting whats left of the detroit Zacks and we realized all the 30 other people that were at the dinner are untapped possibilities for weekly brunch and bbq's. why cant arlan and his girls pop on over for a sunday morning brunch with charlene's brother and aunt roz's duaghter? mom would love it too.
we've established after 2 intense games with arye that there isn't much betting in dominoes and Bubba's rules don't hold up in dominoes, they're reserved for scrabble and rummikub.
the kids had a great time seeing the cousins and bubbie and zayde and sarra and batch and A&V and S & N. (and i'm sure they cared that the stareshefsky's were there too)
well i'm exhausted from driving and not sleeping very much (only one eye at a time), Devorah DID offer to drive this leg of the trip but by the time i turned around to accept she was already sleeping.
well its bed time
have a good week.
next year in J'lem

Props

I'd like to give mad props to the Mom & Dad who hosted an awesome Shabbos right here in Detroit. True it coulda been cooler with everyone (including the Stareshefskys, Rhonda, Seth&Alley, & Rivkah Ayelet) in the Holyland, but hey you can only take what you can get... I'm not saying it was the best shobbos ever (those are strictly saved for NCSY shabbatonim where you don't sleep, don't eat, and went home without a voice) but all the same it was great. So, yeah... Thanx

Public Service Announcement (PSA)

I would like to officially state that there is NO ROOM for stories such as Golda's on this blog. If this type of story continues to be posted, I will officially withdraw my free family membership to this blog.

Take this under advisement.

Veevee
AKA (Scaredy-Cat)

The Real Deal

I know all you American Zacks' were eating your gala dinner worried if MyShan and I were properly celebrating Thanksgiving. But don't worry-we did. We went over to our friends, who made turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potato pie, and a bunch of other proper holiday food. We all discussed what American thangs we are grateful for this year. I was going to be grateful for Shan, what with it being our anniversary and all, but she's not American so I wasnt allowed to. I was grateful for Mom, Dad, Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross, the strengthening of the dollar against the shekel, and hurrcane Wilma (we got to see the beach right after-it was very cool). What were y'all thankful for?
In other news, its our anniversary!! One full year of marriage. Despite tzunamis, the washing away of New Orleans, the war in Iraq, earthquakes all over, the rise in the price of gas, hitnatkut, and suicide bombings in Jordan, we have managed to stick it out, and grow together. Here's to many more years of blissful marriage!!!

thanks golda

dear golda,
thank you for letting us use your motherland "CANADIA" as a shortcut to get to detroit. we appreciate the use of your roads as they have no real enforced speed limit and the people there don't belive in Thanksgiving. this helped out as there weren't very many people in my wqay as i was driving.i do however have a beef with the weather. IT STUNK, it snowed and was very windy.
thank you again
the boston zacks and clifford

First real scare

So I took the kids to see a Bambi play. It was cute. Naftali finally decided to stop being scared out of his wits and was enjoying the play, when they announced, please go home to your bomb shelters. So of course, my heart beat like crazy and I thought, holy molly, its the real thing. So I dragged my four bewildered children to the car, while very nervously trying not to panic. I called my knight in shinning armour and He was almost home and as usual the voice of calm. We got home, the kids got out of the car and went into the house straight for the bomb shelter and their daddy said we don't need to go into our squishy bomb shelter (thing 2 found it hillarious to think of us all squished into the bomb shelter). Yoders proceeded to tell his daddy that he had no clue and if they said we have to go into the bomb shelter, than that is what we have to do. Daddy convinced yoders that G-d was in charge of the bad guys and not to worry. So we have all the little peoples sleeping in our room, except for yod, who fell asleep on the couch. I said some Tehilim, it made me feel alot more reassured, and we are hoping the Hizballa chills out by morning.

Atricle

Here's an article that was written about my company. I was quoted in it Ypsilanti schools allow ads in buses

just remembering...

devorah just pulled out an old note pad and showed me what was written on top. it was from last purim or perhaps the purim before that.
YOU CANT DRIVE FOR DRINKING
just thought I'd share so you can have your own memories now

in other news. Clifford (the big red car) should be pulling out of Boston Tuesday night after he fills up on Pizza (and gas). maybe from the pizza. and we'll see how far we get that night. maybe stopping in Niagara Falls for the night or maybe stopping at mom's place in the morning.

We are also sharing the thanksgiving turkey dinner with a happy birthday celebration for Shira who is turning 4 in the very near future.

See y'all soon

Wearing Kippot II

This weeks Tuesday morning Chavruta on Wednesday was even more interesting then last week. (yes, this time the Tuesday morning learning did happen on Wednesday). Heres the highlights:
-The first time a kippa is mentioned in terms of halacha is by R Yosef Karo in the Shulchan Aruch. The Rama, who we follow, says he didnt mean it as halacha, its just a middot chassidut.
-One of the Rishonim (Maharam, maharshal..) was very angry at some of the people in his town, that would look down on whomever didnt wear a kippa as being less then them, even though they themselves werent makpid on important things like kosher. (amazing how little we've changed as a people in 500 years!)
-The Vilna Gaon said kippot arent important and are only needed for davening and learning. His own students didnt follow him though, and wore them all day.
-The reason behind the concept of two head coverings, i.e. the black hat on top of the kippa, is because people would take off their hat as a sign of respect, and they didnt know what to do when they were in shul so they would wear two coverings. (Editors Note-nowadays, kinda pointless)

I think thats its for the main points. So, as of now, the only time we need to wear a kippa is when learning or davening. Shabbat Shalom

College is useful

Dad asked me a few weeks ago if I ever use the knowledge that I learned in college, and I said no. Well that has all changed today. I wrote a press release and sent it out to some newspaper, and they did the job. I got a call from the Ann Arbor daily news that they wanted to do a story on the bus ads. So she interviewed me and there should be a story soon..I'll keep you updated when it comes out.

up at 5:30

As I mention in the title is 5:30 am, and I am up and sitting on teh computer. Jonah started screaming about 45 minutes ago, and now I can't sleep. So here I sit at the computer. There is a chance that we may get a dog in the next few days a chochlate labrador. He's already housebroken and is 4 years old (28 in people year)

Someone we know is moving to Boston and I guess they don't allow dogs in Boston so he can't take it with him, and Nat has always wanted a dog, and I'm not opposed to it, so we will meet this dog sometime this week, and see if we like it.

I have mixed emotions about whether or not I fel like I want a hairy animal running around our house, but I'll see what this dog is like, I just hoe he isnt like cinnamon, likes to pee all over the house and knock over and bite little kids, cause I know a vet, and I'll ask her to give it teh blue juice (technical term for sending the dog to live with bubba and papa) if he takes a bite out of Jonah or nat or me.

Thats really the only interesting thing going on here, We are going to Pittsburgh for shabbos for Naftali Guttmans (Gershons oldest kid) sheva brachos. but we will be back by the time Sarra (and possibly Uriel) get back.

We spent timeby R and V over Shabbos and they described Uriel, so I feel as i I already him. But if he comes to town it waoul dbe nice to meet the man behind the wild stories they told me.

Anyways thats all for now, I'm gonna go try and get some more sleep before I play football at 9:00 and if sleep wont come, I can watch sportscenter...Good week to all of you

a mini vacation

is it wrong to call a night out with your wife for dinner and a musical a mini vacation?
Devo and I went to see Joseph and the Technicolor dreamcoat this week. the dinner was a small pizza we ate in the car while waiting for a train to come. it wouldnt be a vacation if we had to feed our children and then leave so we ordered out pizza for them and the babysitter fed them and we had a good time. the theater was so old (1900) that my legs were sticking up in my nose, when they were on the floor. when we got there we asked if there any better seats available in the price range and the box office lady told us she thinks these are the first row in the price range. well she was right, unfortunately, you enter from the top of the section and it was the first you get to. WE WERE IN THE TOP-EST ROW YOU COULD BE. but the kindly old man with the flashlight told us we could move up to better seats before the show starts (off the record of course) so we did and we only had to move three times before we were nicely setttled in for the show. we had a great time and it was a fun show.
anyway chanalana has added several words and teeth to her routine. she now says 'chana', 'no', 'stop it guys', and 'YOU can't handle the truth' i dont know where she picks these things up,
yael is learning about transportation, and shira is just coming home with a ruined shirt every day (paint usually). this week they spray painted. I'm not sure what that meant other then we need to buy a new shirt and her hands were red for two days.
well anyway,
have a good shabbos

Two Plus Cups Of Flour....

Being that the cookie blog was labeled flying, I thought I'd give the flying blog a cookie plug. Anyway...wanted all ya'll to know I booked a ticket :) My itinerary has be leaving the Holy Country Monday 21 at 10:340 AM and arriving in Detroit at 8:20PM. Leaving Detroit Wednesday 30 at 10:13 AM and arriving HOME in Israel Monday December 5 around 5 PM. Can't wait to see you'all!!!! Kov...what's your story?

HaRav Aviner and Wearing Kippot

One of the main "hotspots" in Kiryat Moshe is the Tuesday night HaRav Aviner speech. HaRav Aviner is known as one of the heads of the Dati Leumi world. There are at least two parsha sheets that are circulated every week in shuls that he has articles in. The past year they have been mostly anti-disengagement, pro-soldiers, pro-Israel, and anti-disengagement some more. Every week he has a different topic, and this week's topic was machloket. He was against. His main point was that any argument that isnt over Torah isnt allowed, and even when you disagree with someone, don't attack them, attack their ideas. He said the Rambam was very against machloket, even when they burned his books and cursed him out, he refused to fight. His Rebbi asked him what his best day ever was, and he said he was on a boat laying down and someone peed on him. He laid there and didnt get angry, and thats when he knew he had conquered anger. Someone asked him about a Rambam that says you cant allow a Talmid Chochom to be embarrased, HaRav said maybe the Rambam was "cholek al atzmo" (disagreed with himself)(he has a good sense of humor, the kind that you smile and wake up a bit, but not so much a laugh-out-loud type). In the end of the day (Dad, everyone says that, and in Hebrew everyone says "bsofo shel davar" which almost is the same thing) it was a very good shiur and hopefully we will be there next week. I don't plan on ever getting to a madraiga that someone can pee on me and I wont get angry.
In other news, I started learning with Shimi, we found a minhag sefer and started about wearing kippot. So far, we've learned that in the times of the gemara, in Yerushalayim no one wore a kippa, and kohanim werent allowed to when they would duchen, and in bavel some Rabbis would wear one for davening or when they were in their official capacity. So as far as we know, there in no reason to wear one. Keep y'all updated....Shavua Tov

Flying

Ok, so i'm not in America now, which you've all discovered...Mostly, well, because I did not go. I quit my job about 2 weeks ago now. Yes, the job that I created for me. Basically I had to decide if I wanted to be annoyed and frusterated for the rest of my life with this organization or not, and I decided no. So here I am, still in Israel, and relooking for a job... Like a real Israeli. Have something good on the horizon, so we'll see...i'll let you all know when I know more.
I am however looking into flights to the States for Thanxgiving. For all those going to be in Detroit over the good 'ol American holiday I'll be seeing you. My exact plans are still up in the air...should know more tomorrow.
I have been quiet on the blog about Uriel, mainly cuz he reads this and you guys comment, and well not sure what i want to write...or have you guys comment on...but just so you know, he does read it. Maybe one day he'll even post something :) So far since we've been "going out" Arye, Aviva, David, Shany, Auntie Barbra, Daniel, Efraim, and Nava have met him...also the Stareshefsky's, Lewis' (that's Uncle Spencer's family) and David's father-in-law. Sim has not. From before we were going out (we knew each other for about 5 years already) Mom, Dad, Batsheva, Golda, Naomi, Avigail, Yehuda & Naftali, but no Sim. Yaakov and Devorah met him, outside Cheryl's apartment, but don't remember. Cheryl might've met him, I don't remember if he came up, or why we were stopping there, or why Kov & Devorah were there, but they were, I remember. (They asked me if we were going out, and I said "no".) He claims to have met Shauli in NY, but that I don't remember. Still, no Sim. Hmmm.
We met orignially through NCSY, and although many many people, including Tzali, tried to get us to go out, I held out until he actually asked me ;) which he did. So now we've been going out since before Rosh Hashana, and we got the "Sarra has a boyfriend" dance from Daniel and Efraim, which kinda makes it pretty official. He has made our choc chip cookies, and enjoys country music. Arye couldn't really find anything too wrong with him...so we're up to Maalot (hopefully) in two weeks so Sim can finally feel a part of it all..ok, also because i love being in Maalot, and with me going back to being Naftali's favorite person (ok Golda, second favorite person) I just can't stay away. Anyway, I hope this helps all the questions a bit...

We're In!

We have, suf suf, moved out of my in-laws and into our new apartment. We are on a ground floor apartment in Kiryat Moshe. Slowly but surely we are setting up and moving in. This Shabbat we went to the in-laws since we werent really set up, but, bezrat Hashem this coming Shabbat we will be making it ourselves.....Shavua Tov!

Who is wise?

The other day I was learning rambam's Mishne Torah with my chavrusa, and we found something interesting.

The Rambam states a wise person first finds a job, then buys a house, and then he gets married. A fool gets married first then gets a job and a place to live.

How many wise people do we have in this family?

Greetings from Detroit- It was a great Holiday season. Everyone heard lots of d'vrei torah and I would be interested in hearing what was the best- most unusual - off the wall- piece of torah that you heard. The dayan gave an interesting insight into the long list of 70 nations that came from Noah at the end of the parsha- He was talking about the 70 bulls that were brought on Succoth. He asked why the torah thought it was necessary to list all the 70 families. Answer is-!! It proves the authenticity of the torah. Moshe said this story of Babel 800 yrs after it happened and he said prior to it there was only one language in the world. People could check to see if that was true. They could look at old documents or maunscripts- inscriptions on buildings and prove to themselves that in deed- just 800 yrs earlier there was only one language. I thought that was so neat. Your turn
Batch has had a rufuah shelama. Looking forward to the return of R and V to hear about their trip. Happy Rosh Chodesh

Monday Night

As I was preparing for my Machon learning partner, and Daddy was getting ready to go learn with Uncle Mike, Batsheva starting crying out in pain. At first I thought it was from the guitar music she was playing, but then I realized she was in pain. After sitting with her and getting my hand squeezed, and then covering her as she was freezing, Dr Dad decided after much contemplation that we should go to the emergency room. Off we went to Beaumont. After several hours and an ultrasound, they declared her well enough to go home!!!! We still don't know what the pain is from, but they didn't seem to worry to much. This morning she told me she is still in pain on the side, although she slept thru the night with just a couple of advil, not the vicadin they prescribed.
Hopefully she will be fine a little later.