What's Rabbi Steve doing here?

We went to Judy Karin's house where all the Isla Vista Minyan had a get together honoring Rabbi Steve. Midway in the party, Judah was in the backyard talking to me and Jana and then look up at the window and sees Rabbi Steve. It was strange for him as he usually only sees him at the pre-school. the following conversation happened with Jana.

"Is that Rabbi Steve? "
"Yeah"
"How he get here?"
"He drove here."
"Oh... what color car does he drive?"
"I don't know."

We watched him go over to everybody saying "There's Rabbi Steve" Later on Jana spied him going up to Rabbi Steve asking him what color car he drives. Rabbi Steve said "Gold" to which he replied "Oh...ok"

At the end of the party after Aaron sang a solo and got up, Judah got on the chair and said my turn. The room was quiet for a few second and someone asked what are you going to sing? He said "I'm thinking..." I said "how about "Hot Potatoes"?" After a few more seconds of silence, he started singing "Yes, we all live in a yellow submarine..." and everyone in the room bursted out singing the song.

The Diskin's House

When we drove over the hill and saw the Diskin's house, I was thinking to myself "Holy s...." when Riva goes "Whoa!....make that double whoa....I mean triple whoa!" She was mesmerized and then as she got out of the car said Dad, "I mean a quintet whoa!"

In Beloved Memory of Yoni Gottesman

Dear Friends,

It is with great sadness and pain that I inform of the passing of Yoni Gottesman (Yonatan Avaraham Zev Meir ben Oded). May his memory be for a blessing.

The funeral will take place in Israel G-d willing. My sister, Nechama Dina, who was Yoni’s Counselor and is Daniela’s teacher, is in Israel right now. She will be at the funeral representing our family, and the greater S. Barbara Jewish community.

We had the Zechut (privilege) to know Yoni. Most recently Yoni was a camper in Camp Gan Israel. I would like to share with you a beautiful story of a precious Neshama (soul) – Yoni.

One day after camp the counselors were having races. One of the counselors, Shmueli, was running so fast that he couldn’t stop himself in time and his hand rammed into the building. At the end of camp, probably three weeks after this incident, Yoni wanted to know how Shmueli’s hand was doing. Shmueli had no recollection of the incident. Yoni reminded Shmueli, and Shmueli reassured Yoni that he was fine. All of us standing there couldn’t believe the sensitivity of Yoni. That he remembered, cared and even asked. All this from a precious little four year old.

In the very short time that Yoni was here, he touched all those who came in contact with him. Yoni, we will miss you. You are in Heaven now, with Hashem, please ask Him to end this bitter exile and send us Moshiach. Yehay Zichro Baruch. May his memory be for a blessing.

I have attached in article about the Jewish way of grieving. May we only have good news to share between us from now on.

Please feel free to forward this email to others.

I love you Yoni.

Ella Loschak

Riva's 6th Birthday

Riva's friend Angela had a wise observation - "The more people you invite, the more presents you get."

Lylah, Sarina, and Riva

Rory Stillman's Bar Mitsvah

I got called up to lift the torah. As I got on stage, I did 3 push-ups so as to warm up before lifting the torah. As I got ready to lift up the torah, Uncle Norman came over and said "Let me help you" and leaned on the torah. I yelled at him to get outta here.



A few months later, Gene said to Rory that he must show respect in temple. Rory replied to him "You mean like doing push-ups like Cousin Eric?"