1000 Israeli musicians sing with one voice, BRING THEM HOME! - Homeland concert

 

This is the other half of the war effort . . .

. . . the one that often flies under the radar.

Posted on Facebook by

Michal Barkai Brody

Yesterday was my hardest night as a mother, since I became a mother.

My two children, in perfect synchrony.

They just lay on the floor and started screaming their souls out

“Daddy daddy daddy”.

In a perfect fit Yaniv announced that he was taking orders for 72 hours and that he didn't worry.

Three days without availability. We know what this means right?

Of course we won't worry about who.

Clearly.

***

So last night I felt that all I wanted was to take myself and escape my soul.

To get some love, pampering, softness and relaxation.

I sure didn't do it.

Instead I hugged and kissed,

I fed and shaved,

I meditated and fell asleep

But inside there's not one ounce of power left.

***

This morning, thanks for asking

Started with new forces, telling myself that I am capable, strong and a champion.

And immediately after them, more surfaces on the floor (not mine, although I also felt like it at some point)

Yelling "daddy daddy daddy" in two voices

And rebuke tears that

"I wanted a pita cut in half and not length!!! Mother! I want daddy daddy daddy daddy"

***

This is the time to mark the time.

This war is a marathon that celebrates another quarter of a year (!!! ) And whoever doesn't run it may not understand.

And in a quarter of this year,

We,

The mothers (there are fathers too, but most of us are mothers)

That hold the back here with teeth and nails (that we haven't managed to nurture)

Don't accept Idan Raichel's performances at the base.

They don't open for us pampering barbecues,

They don't give us a free coffee or pay us in fun for the meal.

Most of the time we walk around the world with skin as thin as silk paper

Throat choke

And a tear tap that closed half-force because we need to keep the children healthy and sane here as possible.

***

You, who surround us

We don't always know how to act accordingly.

In order to help us survive another day and another day of an exhausting and brutal race that we didn't vote and we didn't want.

(And in my case and many others, we never imagined that of all the shining national missions, actually it would be our part of an effort in such a war. )

But our Queen Oprah Winfrey taught me one rule that I teach in all my programs and lectures:

"In life you get what you have the courage to ask for"

***

So I thought of some really little things I'd like to ask of you,

The people who live around them are mothers of the 8 heroic and brave order.

1.

To the neighbors: be patient.

One second before you honk in the car, one second before you scold the neighbor, one second before u wake up

Take a breath of air.

Because there are those that almost don't exist anymore.

The house is now being run on a battlefield, and it may feel different than usual but we’re at war for life every single day.

(This section is dedicated to a neighbor downstairs who already complained 6 times that at five thirty in the morning there is noise here, as if I wouldn't prefer to sleep my beauty sleep instead of tickling children to kindergarten)

2.

For parents and staff in frames: consideration.

#Is there a parent's meeting?

Make sure that you didn't leave the evening slots for mom who is currently alone.

Because she has no way to get there now like that, and this is becoming a mission for a thousandth that she didn't do.

# Do you have 8th order children in grade or kindergarten?

Send a message, ask how you can help, invite the child to you after the frames,

Don't need a big production, just a little attention.

# Are there any unusual tasks like a bright white shirt or bringing food to a picnic in the classroom?

Send a small text to the mother of order 8 that she may have missed these messages in the busyness of life.

And most of all don't want her child to feel different or abnormal.

3.

To friends and family: a good eye is a must.

# It's not you it's me

Your girlfriend doesn't answer her phone? It's possible that having a conversation now is an emotional burden.

It's literally like that.

Do not be angry and do not be disappointed. This is the situation right now.

And it has nothing to do with you.

#אפס שיפוטיות-

Don't start unnecessary arguments now, don't wake us up if it's not a hundred percent urgent, don't visit us. No, I'm repeating noooo to review the dishes in the sink, the home order, or the refrigerator, if you do not intend to send a surprise cleaner here.

The rule of thumb is that we are way, way behind our bottom red line.

And we have nowhere to contain any non-life-saving criticism right now.

(And neither did she)

#תרימו!!

A small message, a heart, a kind word, is the fuel of our soul, to feel visibility in this time

(Thank you Danny and Ella for the morning Ella Danny Bar David and for everything)

4.

To the brave couple at the front: we are at the front too.

Don't forget to lift, strengthen, appreciate, compliment.

Send some pampering, we deserve it too.

To remember and remind that we are queens, lionesses, brave

Because it's not obvious.

***

And whoever wants a bank of very concrete and practical ideas,

Out of many very good things I won but really not all of them win.

Instead of asking:

How can I help you?

Just offer clear, complex and practical things.

Here are a few examples.

I have the sisterhood and really the best friends in the world but definitely not everyone has a support system like that !! )

*What day should I send you dinner?

(Thanks Dana Miller Inbal Halperin Gottesman Hadas Karni )

*When am I coming to help you with the laundry?

(You know it's you Noa Klein

*How can I help you on Saturday?

(There's nothing like you Or Huski Ayala Donat Betzaleli Aya Eshdat )

*Do you have any tests? Do you want me to come with you?

(You saved my life Adi Netzer )

* I come to you with ice cream / grape leaves / something fun soup when will I be at your place? And what scotch to use the tools?

(Who if not טלילה מעצבת פנים Michal Grouchko )

*When do you need me to take the kids out?

(You're the best grandpa Racheli Berreby grandma Yael Barkai Sygon aunts יוני ברקאי Freda Brody )

***

These are the things that came to me this morning,

In the parking lot of the garden

Invited with love to add your own, share and tag.

Together we will get through this.

It won't be easy and not glamorous and not short

But in the end

We are going to win.

***

Adding in the edit a huge thank you to those who offer me help.

Blessed to have support systems and my business is to produce sisterhood and communities of women that keep me alive in this time,

But amen that with reading the post,

Find someone around you to adopt at this time and just be there for her. )

***

"In life you get what you have the courage to ask for"

(Oprah Winfrey)

#עםישראלחי #חרבותברזל #חרבודרבו #האחיותהגיבורותשלי #סיסטרהוד

Here's another video that I first saw on Facebook and just found on YouTube:  It's Nina Tokayer, of the husband-and-wife duo Yonina, singing an Iron Swords version--the three-hanky version  😢  --of an old Israeli lullaby.  I'm copying the English translation from Facebook.

"Nomi Nomi" Iron Swords version - a lullaby for all the children and girls whose father recruits... Dedicated to all the heroic moms that protect home and life in this crazy reality.

Thanks to מוריה סבו who wrote the words. I really feel that of all my children, the current situation is the most challenging and confusing for a two and a half year old ex-lover, who can't yet understand where her father has been for three weeks... Hope this song will do good for the little ones and little ones like her.

****

Nom nomi nomi my child

Nom nomi nomi nim

My little nomi nomi

Nom nomi nomi nim

Dad went to the Army

Gone gone daddy

Will return at the end of the war.

Will bring you a kiss

Dad went to the troops

Gone gone daddy

All are saints and heroes

Keeping all the children safe

Dad went down south

Gone gone daddy

Let's pray that he returns safely

And go straight to sleep

Dad went to the reserves.

Gone gone daddy

He will come back with a dirty uniform

Will bring you hugs

Mom is right here beside you.

Mother mother is here

When a tear comes in your eyes

Give a hug and smile

All We Want for Xmas--parody video

Better late than never--I couldn't post this, which I first saw on Facebook, until I saw it on YouTube.  This was posted by American-Israeli comedian Joel Chasnoff.  In between comedy shows, he's now presenting a weekly podcast, Inside Israel with Joel Chasnoff, which you can sign up for here as a video (or catch on Spotify and AppleMusic).

Joey Weisenberg & the Hadar Ensemble, in concert (video)

Streamed live on Dec 21, 2023:  Joey Weisenberg & the Hadar Ensemble @ B’nai Jeshurun New York City | December 22, 2022

Joey Weisenberg - guitars, vocals [and harmonica]

Rabbi Deborah Sacks Mintz - vocals

Aly Halpert - vocals

Michael Winograd - clarinet

Yoshie Fruchter - bass [and vocals?]

Richie Barshay - drums

Featuring special guests from Kedmah: Rising Song’s Piyyut Project: 

Rabbi Yosef Goldman - vocals

Yoni Battat - oud, vocals [and violin]

Time for one of my oldies but goodies: Shim'on, here. Remember me?

See my Thursday, December 20, 2007 post, "Shim'on, here. Remember me?"

Comment of the week

Comment of the week:

https://www.dailykos.com/.../-Missouri-lawmakers-propose...

ironman65

PadreMellyrn

Dec 10, 2023 at 02:12:22 PM

I’ve always like the late George Carlin’s take on this topic.

“Boy, these conservatives are really something, aren't they? They're all in favor of the unborn. They will do anything for the unborn. But once you're born, you're on your own. Pro-life conservatives are obsessed with the fetus from conception to nine months. After that, they don't want to know about you. They don't want to hear from you. No nothing. No neonatal care, no day care, no head start, no school lunch, no food stamps, no welfare, no nothing. If you're preborn, you're fine; if you're preschool, you're fucked.

Conservatives don’t give a shit about you until you reach military age. Then they think you are just fine. Just what they’ve been looking for. Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers.

They’re not pro-life. You know what they are? They’re anti-woman. Simple as it gets, anti-woman. They don’t like them. They don’t like women. They believe a woman’s primary role is to function as a broodmare for the state.”

― George Carlin

 

Of course, the notion that "a woman’s primary role is to function as a broodmare for the state" doesn't explain why, in some recent cases in the news, women were forbidden to have abortions even though:

~ their fetus no longer had a heartbeat

~ their fetus was not likely to survive childbirth, or, if born alive, was likely to be severely disabled

~ their pregnancy was likely to cause them significant health problems, destroy their future fertility, or kill them.

The so-called "pro-life" approach applies only to babies, not to pregnant people, who might as well drop dead as soon as they become pregnant, for all anti-abortion governments care. 😡

Am Ne'emanay, a Moroccan Chanukah song

I'm celebrating the eighth night of Chanukah by posting this Moroccan Chanukah song.

 

"Am Ne'emanay," a Hanukah song from Divahn's new album, Shalhevet. This performance is from our March 7, 2020 album release at Joe's Pub. [Last hurrah before the COVID-19 shut-down--who knew?]

Galeet Dardashti: lead vocals

Megan Gould: violin, backup vocals

Eleanor Norton: cello, backup vocals

Elizabeth Pupo-Walker, cajon, back up vocals

Sejal Kukadia, Indian tabla, back up vocals

string arrangement: Megan Gould

The song is one of the most popular Chanukah songs among North African Jews. The text was written by the most renowned Morrocan paytan (composer of sacred songs) of his generation, David Buzaglo, and the melody comes from Ya um alabaya (“The girl who wore an abaya”), made famous by Iraqi singer Badria Anwer. Special thanks to Yossi Ohana and Kehillot Sharot for sharing this piyyut with me years ago and to Zafer Tawil for helping me track down the song in Arabic. You can hear/see lyrics/purchase the full song here: https://divahn.bandcamp.com/track/am-....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBJ_z27nv-g

From Bandcamp:

lyrics

My faithful nation, seed of the believers

Praise God, for His benevolence triumphed.

In the days of Matityah, ally of God,

The Almighty remembered his flock.

His children, who sprang from his loins

Went in his ways, donned his priestly garb.

עַם נֶאֱמָנַי זֶרַע אֱמוּנַי

הוֹדוּ לַה' כִּי גָבַר חַסְדּוֹ

בִּימֵי מַתִּתְיָה זָקֵן יְדִיד יָהּ

רַב עֲלִילִיָּה פָּקַד צֹאן יָדוֹ

בָּנָיו חֲנִיכָיו יוֹצְאֵי יְרֵכָיו

הָלְכוּ בִדְרָכָיו לָבְשׁוּ אֶת מַדּוֹ

credits

from Shalhevet, released March 7, 2020

"The fundamental disconnect in Democratic senators’ criticisms of Israel" (By Michael A. Cohen, MSNBC Columnist)

 ". . . If you endorse the idea that Israel has a right to defend itself, then that means tacitly endorsing the collateral deaths that result from that position.

Going into Gaza and uprooting a terrorist organization that has had a decade and a half to construct a military and political infrastructure in and among the civilian population is going to cause massive casualties. Even in the most ideal of scenarios, thousands would still die in Gaza. Many of Israel’s critics and friends are ignoring that reality. Complaints that Israel needs to wage war in a less deadly way are a bit like trying to wipe off the moral stain of supporting a policy that will inevitably lead to the deaths of innocents.

It is, as a colleague said to me, wanting only the good parts of war (killing Hamas militants) and not the bad ones (the collateral damage of civilian casualties)."

Nobody's getting out of this war unscathed, and somebody's going to have to rebuild Gaza. :(

Tom Lehrer's 'Hannukah in Santa Monica' in Yiddish (with subtitles) :)

 

Ocho Kandelikas

Here's the late, great singer/songwriter of Ladino music, Flory Jagoda, singing her Chanukah song, "Ocho Kandelikas."

Chag Urim Sameach--Happy Chanukah! Here's Rabbi Josh Warshawsky's version of Hanerot Hallalu

 

 

Yes, some of these people may look familiar from the previous video--Chava Mirel and Rabbi Deborah Sacks Mintz actually met when Rabbi Josh first formed and recorded with his Chaverai Nevarech band.

Chag Urim Sameach--Happy Chanukah! Here's a traditional version of Hanerot Hallalu

 

"Look, Ma, no hands!" or how did I injure myself *this* time?!

Quick explanation:  The difference between an orthopedist and a physiatrist is that an orthopedist specializes in bones and a physiatrist specializes in muscles.  So, when my right index finger felt weird last night and I couldn't make a fist with my right hand this morning, I ran some medium-hot water over my hand, which certainly helped, then called my physiatrist for an emergency appointment.  I am now the happy possessor of a shiny new prescription for occupational therapy that includes my right hand in addition to my left--I've been in OT since October.  For many of us seniors, keeping our health-care professionals employed is one of our hobbies.  😀

I probably injured my right hand by depending too much on it--I injured my left knee and sprained my left wrist this past August.  Needing to lean on my cane to take some weight off of my left leg, in addition to just using it for balance, was probably the last straw.  The poor hubby is stuck with most of the kitchen work again.