Mile high club

Don't get excited. It's not THAT mile high club. I wish I could say I was a member of that club but my life just isn't that adventurous (and plane bathrooms disgust me). For the first time I took my breast pump on the plane and pumped. I packed the pump and small bottle cooler as carry ons and then on the way home I emptied the ice just before security and replenished right after I went through. It was actually pretty easy. The best part was the reaction I got from the gentlemen I encountered along the way.

I am not really a shy person and will admit that I sometimes get pleasure out of making people uncomfortable. Not in a mean way- more of a teasing way. Like pretending I don't notice my son has a dirty diaper as I leave him with my husband. So yes, it was fun to watch the TSA official at the security gate take a second look at the milk and even more fun to watch the reaction of the 20 something guy behind me when I proudly, and a little loudly, announce that the liquid in the plastic bags was breast milk. I only wish I could have seen the face of the person banging on the plane bathroom door when I yelled, "it's going to be a minute, I am pumping my breasts."

Its Sukkah time

How did your Sukkah come out? Ours was fun- a day late but fun. The 2 year old really enjoyed looking for the "roof" pieces and then decorating it. We skipped the dry fruit and opted for painting instead. He insisted on having black which probably has some hidden meaning that will require years of therapy but thouroughly enjoyed the process and has asked to make another one. We were in the woods- hence the camouflage. This is obviously from my side of the family- how many Jews do you know wear camouflage?

Another Holiday? Jews Camping? What is this all about?

I am just not good at being a consistent blogger.  I just can't seem to get it together- which pretty much sums up all aspects of my life right now.  

Anyway, you may know it is the last day of Sukkot (rhymes with coat) although most Jewish multi-day Jewish holidays it is really celebrated towards the beginning of the week, most likely last Friday after sunset.   But here's the down and dirty anyway:

• Sukkot is an 8 day holiday coming 5 days after Yom Kippur.  
• It's a happy holiday- but no work on the first and second day.  
• It commemorates the 40 year period that Jews wandered the dessert living in temporary shelters.  Hence the sukkah.
• Traditions include building a sukkah, eating (really living in the sukkah for the 8 days but now most just eat a meal in it to fulfill the commandment) and waving the lulav and etrog. 
• Sukkahs must have at least 2.5 walls covered but they do not have to be solid walls (sheets and canvas will do).  The roof must be made of material that came from the ground and was cut off- branches, vines even 2x4's apparently count.  Traditionally, dry fruit is hung to decorate it.   
• Lulav- is a bundle of 3 myrtle twigs, a palm branch and 2 willow branches.  Etrog is a kind of citron.  These are waved in very particular way (lulav in right hand first, then etrog in left then bundled together all while saying specific prayers and facing specific directions- East, then South, then North etc.)
• The 2 days after Sukkot are Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.
• Shemini Atzeret translates to "assembly on the 8th day" and while it is related to Sukkot is technically its own holiday.  
• Simchat Torah marks the completion of the weekly Torah readings- there's lots of singing and processions around Temple carrying the Torah scrolls. 

Here's a cute idea to make your own miniature Sukkah with the kids:

• Take a box and cut on of the long sides off of it. 
• Cut slots on the bottom of the box- this will be your roof.
• Using thread, fishing wire or twine, thread leaves and twigs through the slots. 
• Decorate the other sides with dried fruit or whatever you want.  

Let me know how yours turn out!

Yom Kippur

Technically Yom Kippur started last night so I am a little behind.  But here's the down and dirty of the holiday:

• Yom Kippur comes ten days after Rosh Hashanah and is the ending to the "High Holidays."   It is a time for reflection, repentance and fasting.   
  
• It's a day of prayer and reflection, repentance and fasting
• Fasting starts the night before it's marked on secular calendars, also known as Kol Nidre.
• You break the fast with family and friends. 
• Traditionally, a live white chicken would be circled above your head while you ask for forgiveness for your sins.  Then you would slaughter the chicken and give it to the poor.  Charity work can be substituted now days.
• It's a day for doing a mitzvah or other good deed.   
• No working, and services last most of the day.  Many synagogues will charge for these services since they are so busy- this is a new thing for us gentiles.   
• When pronouncing Yom Kippur it should rhyme with poor not dipper.  

Some activities you can do with your family-

• Write letters to yourself explaining ways you will be a better person in the upcoming year.   If your kids are too young to write their own letter you could go around the table and say something outloud. 
• If you are a little flexible in how you are observing Yom Kippur or want to do it the days leading up to Yom Kippur, you could volunteer together as a family. 
• Make your own Tzedakah box, ("piggy bank" to give to charity) out of a shoe box.  Let the little ones decorate it with anything you have around the house- markers, glitter, paint yarn, Stars of David from tin foil.  

Enjoy the break fast! 

L'shanah Tovah!

Happy New Year!  Hope this year is full of successful potty training, fewer lost sippy cups, no throw up flu and lots of laughter!  Actually, I think that's what I am wishing for myself- but you too!   

In all seriousness I hope you have a wonderful New Year full of blessings and joy! 

One more reason to craft...

I love doing crafts. I have always loved me an afternoon full of creating something semi-useful out of socks, Popsicle sticks or some other random thing. Of course now it has advanced a little and I use a sewing machine or canvas and paint but the point is I love to create and frequently wish I had enough talent to be able to live off my crafting.

Soooo.....imagine how excited I was to find there are crafts for the Jewish holidays too! Here are a couple of ideas for Rosh Hashanah to help spur your creativity. But first, a couple of things to remember about Rosh Hashanah for all the gentiles out there.

1. Rosh Hashanah celebrates the New Year. It literally translates into the "first of the year." It's a time for introspection, reflection on the past year and resolutions to do things better in the new year.

2. A shofar, or Ram's horn is blown in temple three different ways but totalling a hundred notes. Each of the three ways means something different. As a result the Shofar is a symbol of Rosh Hashanah.

3. It is tradition to eat apples dipped in honey- a symbol of wishing sweetness for the new year.

4. L'shanah tovah is what is said- meaning "good year."

Apple cards- Yes, there are Happy New Cards you can buy and send but that's no fun.
Cut an apple in half and dip the flat side in some paint. On a folded sheet of paper (the
thicker the better) press the apple to create your design. You can put L'shanah tovah on the
inside or your own greeting.

Blow your own Shofar- Save a paper towel tube and use string, markers, paint or whatever
you have around the house to decorate your Shofar. Practice blowing it the three different
ways.

Coloring Pages- Ok, this isn't really a craft but is an easy thing to do occupy the kids for 5 more minutes. Download coloring book pages from the internet (just google Rosh Hashanah coloring pages and several will pop up) and let your kids go to town. You could even have them do a couple of pages and staple them together to create their own book about Rosh Hashanah.

Happy crafting and L'shanah tovah!

A new beginning

The high holidays are just around the corner and what great timing to start this blog fresh!

I have realized that there are really two things going on with this blog. 1) Catholic mom trying to raise her half-Jewish children to know and appreciate both religions and 2) A nice Catholic girl trying to be a good Shiksa wife.

Soooo....I will be adding a new blog. This blog (shiksamom) will be more about the Mom thing and will include other mom adventures- not just the ones involving religion and the other goodshiksawife.blogspot.com will be about my personal journey in learning about the Jewish faith and culture and the challenges and celebrations I have trying to be a good shiksa wife. I will post at least once a week on both and hope you will leave comments, exchange in dialogue and make it more than me talking to myself- and thus more interesting.

Thanks for following our crazy, mixed up family and talk to you soon. Gotta get make plans for Rosh Hashana!