Sister in Law and Jerry Springer

My Sister-in-law Laura used to date Jerry Springer before she settled for my brother. Here's a photo of her and Jerry when we went to the Jerry Springer show in Chicago several years ago.

Katie Girl

Jana and Judah came to my work and surprised me. We sat around the office and just hung out away from the busy go-go of our lives. Out of the blue, Jana asked what our good friends the Moisans were doing. I said good question and emailed them right away. An answer came back real soon and lo and behold, we find out our friends the Moisans have a new baby girl - Katie Girl! Love that name. I always call Judah "Judah boy"

Here's Katie Girl website: http://www.katie-girl.org

With each child, the world begins anew...

Our friends Solomon and Melanie had a baby boy Koby. Mazel Tov - Melanie and Solomon!

Rabbi Sol send a nice rabbinical Midrash quote that I thought I share:

"With each child, the world begins anew."

More info at http://homepage.mac.com/salomoneg/PhotoAlbum29.html

Check out the Brodyz in "The Incredibles"

My friend Jim

The Grand Nephew of Muktuk Marston!

http://www.dailynexus.com/news/2004/8439.html

Shabbot Boyz

Judah and Joshie were the Shabbot Boyz and are partaking the blessing of the bread with Rabbi Cohen

Papa brings us a piano -Part I

Papa drove to San Diego and picked up the Piano from his cousin. It was the same Piano Papa used when he was 10 years old and has been in the family for 65 years.

Papa brings us a piano - Part II

Riva comes home and plays the piano with Papa.



Thank you Papa

Isn't God Jewish?

Riva went to the Annie play yesterday with Jana. In the middle of the play, they were doing the Christmas song and Riva said "I see lots of Christmas and I think there are more Christians than Jews"

At bedtime, I asked her about that and she had a little sad perplexed face wondering why they were more Christians than Jews after I told her that is true. She asked "Isn't God Jewish?"

I told her "Well noooo....God is not Jewish. There are many religions in this world who pray to the same God but have their own tradition and style. There is Moslem...Buddahist...Hindu"

What's Moslem" she said ? "
What Buddahism?" she asked?
"Ahhhh..." I replied "I think we should go on the internet tomorrow and look up these religions."

I told her that there are black people and white people. There are Jews and Christians. There are tall and short people. Just like that, there are many different religions. If it wasn't like that, we be one boooorrrrinnnggg planet like Mismo where everybody is the same.

She replied smiling that if she was on Mismo, everybody's name would be Riva and if someone said "Riva", everyone would respond "Yes?"

"But the great thing about all this..." I continued "...is while there are many many different religion, guess how many God there is ?"

"One!" she said.

"That's right," I replied "We Jews have our own special tradition, heritage, religion and central to all that is one God. We are all God's children and God doesn't care whether we are Jewish, Christians, Hindu, Moslem. What do you think God cares about? What do you think God wants us to do?"

"Be kind?" she inquired?

"Exactly! God wants us to be good people, good neighbors, acceptance of others, give tzedakah (charity), performing tikon olam (repairing the world) like for ever tree we chop down, we should, plant a new one."

"Like Papa Bear in the "Bernstain Bears Don't Pollute!" For every tree he cuts, he plants new ones."

"Right! and now time to say our nightly Shema

"Shema Israel Adonai Elohainu Adonai Ehad" -Hear O' Israel, the Lord is our God and the Lord is One!

She went to bed looking more at peace with the world around her.

The Brodyz go to the Dentist

We all went to the new dentist. Riva was so excited and went by herself with the Dental Assistant and was the perfect patient. Judah was so impatient wanting to go on the chair and kept saying "Own Doctor!" and "My Turn!" I keep telling him to be patient. When Riva was finished, I asked the Dental Assistant to give him a fake checkup. He sat in the chair while she went those the whole thing including squirting water in his mouth. She was like "Wow...they usually don't sit still and cooperate like that at that age"

Riva had cavities..... :-(

Shabbot Shalom from Jana

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away. Have an amazing day!

Camp Papa @ SB Zoo

Papa came down with Cousin Breanna, Austin, Kenny, and Sydney. They along with Jana, Riva, and Judah went to the Zoo.

Winning is not everything....

It's the only thing! We went to Riva's art show at Brandon last night. Riva did a drawing of her hero - Jackie Robinson. She told Jana that Jackie was her hero because he had the courage not to fight back.



She remembered the story because for many years, I've read her the story "Teammates", the story of Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0152842861/002-3042658-4217639?v=glance

and "The Value of Courage: Story of Jackie Robinson"

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0307699595/qid=1099671368/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/002-3042658-4217639?v=glance&s=books

I was very happy to see Riva learning about real life heros. I hope that parents will read to their kids stories like this and other real life heros - Martin Luther King, Golda Meir, Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, etc. It connects them to the real world unlike Spiderman or Superman.

Well at the Art show, Riva cried because she didn't win a prize. Jana said it came from me. I said "Who me? What did I do?" and she said it's the inherent Brody competitive spirit. Well I can't argue with that - Jack, David, my Dad, Uncle Norman, Gene - we all got it.Riva - Life is not about whether you win or lose. It's about doing your best, being yourself, giving tzedakah and helping making this world a better place. Let's be good sports and be happy for others who win.

Also remember that the only time winning matters is when the Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers!

Scott got a new howse!

Judah was in the back seat today and said "Scott got a new howse (house)"

Last night at dinner table, we read the torah portion about how God sent 3 angels to Abraham who was one sick dude due to circumsizing himself (ouch!). Abraham welcomed these unsuspecting angels and fed them. The commentaries explain that we should strive to emulate Abraham and always welcome and invite people over for shabbot or visit people on shabbot and when they are sick.

So after dinner, we spontaneously decide to go visit our friends, the Ehrnsteins, who just moved and wish them a happy first shabbot in their new house.

Riva the Poet

At Hillel, Riva wrote some metaphors in poetry class today. Here are some of the metaphors she wrote:

"I am a kitten. I like to act like a kitten."

"I am a dog because I like to run and be friendly."

"I am a book because you can open me and look inside me."

Vroom vroom papas house

Jana told Judah we are are going to see bubbe and papa and he said "vroom vroom papas house, Austin too! Breanna too!

See you in the morning Dad

Riva came by our office 2nd time and gave us a smooch and said "See you in the morning Dad."