So my dear friend and band sister Rivki Silver over at Life in the Married Lane made me famous. Kind of.
Apparently she nominated me for what she calls the blogger’s version of a chain letter. Here are the rules:
1) Tell 11 things about yourself.
2) Answer 11 questions from the blogger who nominated you.
3) Post 11 questions for those who will be nominated by you.
4) Nominate 11 bloggers.
5) Get in contact with those bloggers to inform them that you nominated them.
2) Answer 11 questions from the blogger who nominated you.
3) Post 11 questions for those who will be nominated by you.
4) Nominate 11 bloggers.
5) Get in contact with those bloggers to inform them that you nominated them.
Okay. Here are my 11 things about myself.
1. My father died of cancer when I was 6.
2. I married the boy next door, but we dated in Israel.
3. I speak Hebrew fluently, with a pathetically American accent.
4. I am a pianist and backup vocalist in an all-women’s band, called “In Harmony.”
5. I have seven kids, ranging in age from 18 to 2. Girl, boy, girl, boy, girl, boy, girl.
6. I have lived in NY, Cleveland, Israel, and Buffalo Grove.
7. I am a major extrovert. I love people.
8. My jobs have included editing and proofing in a publishing company, running musical and dramatic performances, directing overnight camp, teaching music, public speaking, parent coaching, and running our non-profit, Jewish Family Experience. None of these things was on my radar as a kid. I dreamed of being a nurse (age 3), lawyer (age 15), and while I knew it was highly incompatible with my religious leanings, a professional actress (always).
9. I have over 50 nieces and nephews.
10. I love to dance.
11. I hate to sweep.
Okay!
Here are the 11 questions from Rivki:
- If you could outsource any domestic chore or duty, which one would you choose? Sweeping! Also laundry (doing and folding) – not that I really mind doing them (I actually find them kind of relaxing) but because it takes too much time. Really cooking but it’s a way to nurture my family, so it’s going to be me.
- What mitzvah, or spiritual practice, do you connect with the most? Shabbos. It’s just so brilliant and there is no other way to carve out that time unless mandated communally.
- If you could rename yourself, what name would you pick? Gosh, I never thought about that. Maybe something a little more pronounceable, like Shira or Rina.
- What’s your proudest accomplishment? Every time I think of an accomplishment, I realize it’s really a blessing. So instead of proud, I am very, very grateful.
- What’s your favorite holiday? Chanukah!
- Where’s the most beautiful place you’ve visited? Rosh Hanikra in Israel. The water flows through these caves and the sun plays on the water and it’s just crazy. I also have a weakness for the old city of Tzfat.
- What song would you listen to for a boost of energy? Raffi Rise and Shine 🙂
- What do you consider comfort food? Pasta. Yum yum.
- Prior to marriage, did you have a “list” of qualities you wanted in a spouse? If so, how close was your list to reality? Yes. Very. Another blessing, thank God.
- If you could play any instrument, which one would it be? Guitar. It’s on my bucket list.
- You won a free trip to anywhere you like. Where would you go? Of course I would say Israel first, but I do get to go to Israel with my organization so I’ll pick instead South Africa. Or Prague. Because everyone says they’re so beautiful and both are rich with Jewish history.
11 questions for my nominees:
1. When did you start blogging and why?
2. Who is your hero?
3. What was your favorite place to live?
4. What was your most popular post?
5. What was hardest thing you’ve ever done?
6. If you found a spare $100, how would you spend it?
7. What was the best family memory you have?
8. Whom do you speak to the most in a given week?
9. What kind of driver are you?
10. What’s your attitude toward technology?
11. What’s your favorite game? Are you good at it?
And now, here are my nominees (it was hard not to pick some of Rivki’s!):
Have fun!
So fun to get to know you even better! I hated sweeping too, but then I got a swiffer sweeper. It works for exactly 10 minutes so you have to race the clock to get done and it's light so I can bring it all over the house— now I kinda enjoy it…… 🙂
I'll sweep your floor if you'll clean my stove 🙂
Ummm nope! I'll sweep! 🙂
Thanks so much for the nomination! I'm truly flattered.
I'm able to write about myself if I have time to, but to come up with ELEVEN things? Nope, I can't. If I break the chain, will I get seven years of bad luck? (Or in this case, eleven?) 😀
Make it none!
Ruchi, when I get my big break in Hollywood maybe I can get you some connections. Also, Prague is beautiful, although I like Budapest better myself.
🙂 I appreciatet that! OK, maybe for my 25th anniversary we'll do Prague!
Do go to Prague. It's gorgeous and very historic. I love Rosh Hanikra too; we have family on a not-too-far kibbutz and they took us there.
Cool! It just took my breath away the first time I went, 20 years ago. I'll never forget it.
That was so fun! I didn't realize that your kids alternated in gender. Very cute. Prague is gorgeous. I would also love to visit South Africa. Should we go together? 🙂
I know. Wasn't that good planning? Let's absolutely go together!!
Possibly over personal, and also extremely naive, questions: Do you feel like your father passing away when you were so very young had any influence on how you feel about or practice Judaism? Also, there has been some allusion to divorce not being so ok in some O circles. What happens to a widow with young kids? How does 'dating' happen then?
Neither. I wonder sometimes how that affected me. I was so young, so it's hard to say how I "would have" turned out. I do think I saw from a a really young age that adversity need not mean faithlessness. I think it also gave me a very real spiritual connection: that my father's soul can see me and is aware of my comings and going. On his tombstone, it says:
"I ask of my children that whenever they come and visit my grave, they re-accept upon themselves to keep, do, and fulfill all the words of our Torah." This is powerful on so many levels.
On a much more pragmatic note, moving to Cleveland from NY at the age of seven (when my mother remarried an Ohio man in medical school in Cleveland) made a big difference in my formative years. I am definitely a product of what us Os call and "out of town" Orthodox community – which is qualitatively different from a "big city" O community like NY or even NJ.
A widow with young kids would be set up (by a matchmaker or mutual friend) with a widower or divorcee. Divorce in the O community is becoming more common. Sometimes a single guy/girl who is older will be set up with a widow or divorcee, but if there are kids in the picture that would be more unusual.
The term "out of town" has always bothered me. It sounds so New York-centric and demeaning to all those other places. Why should Jews in Cleveland or Baltimore define themselves as "not New Yorkers" as if New York were the norm? It seems to me like a lack of community self-esteem. It reminds me of the famous New Yorker map of the world, but with everyone else adopting the New Yorkers' attitude.
It's disturbing because it places NY at the center of the Jewish world, and I would think Jews would want to place Israel at the center of the Jewish world.
I knew a very frum guy years ago who was considering moving his family to Baltimore, and his rav discouraged it. He told him that NY was the center of Torah learning like Vilna was 300 years ago. So you do hear religious justifications like that.
I think it would we wonderful to live outside of NY/NJ, and not for religious reasons at all. The pace of life is so fast here, and the traffic is terrible. But then again, it's awesome to be able to take your kid to the top of the Empire State Building just because he wants to one day.
Re your first paragraph: Yes!!!!
Tesyaa, some time I want to hear about your views about Israel.
I find that often just the opposite is true. When families move from a smaller, more nurturing environment where diversity is the norm, to a bigger city, where every "stripe" can have its own school/shul, there's a decline in connectedness, acceptedness, and Jewish unity.