• Best Thing Ever,  Confessions,  I've Got Mad Skillz,  Jew Stuff,  Jim Has Mad Skillz,  We Are An Awesome Couple

    When Good Stalking Leads To A Great Marriage

    December 29, 2010

    Once a month, our temple’s Friday night services include Birthday and Anniversary blessings. It’s a really great tradition, and there’s something about having the rabbi and cantor give a blessing for the upcoming year (being witnessed by the congregation, of course!) that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Jim and I do our best to, as he says, “Go get our blessing” every year, and we did just that two weeks ago. At this part of the service, the rabbi calls all couples who are celebrating a wedding anniversary up to the bimah. As you can imagine, December is not one of the more popular months for weddings, and…

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  • Blessings,  Jew Stuff,  Proud Moments

    Simple Gifts

    December 17, 2010

    My sister, upon seeing the title of this one, will think that this post is about one of my favorite songs, which is “Simple Gifts”. The older boy used to play it when he was in middle school orchestra, and then the younger boy learned it on the guitar. I adore it, and he rarely plays it for me anymore. Don’t know the song? Since I haven’t yet caught my kid playing it on camera yet, here’s my second favorite version. But this post isn’t about that. As a second grade religious school teacher, I sometimes receive gifts at Hanukkah or at the end of the year. It’s not necessary,…

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  • Jew Stuff,  Roxie

    Another Hanukkah Tradition Lives On…

    December 3, 2010

    My dog is not stupid. In fact, the way her brain works, I wouldn’t be surprised if she has a whole other life that I don’t know about: maybe a doggie husband, a couple of puppies? I got an unexpected reminder of how smart she really is today, when she carried on her sixth annual Hanukkah tradition of locating the gelt* (chocolate coins**) I had hidden (from her), and eating them, but not before she took off the wrappers. (Do you know how difficult it is for a human to take those wrappers off sometimes???) Here’s the deal. I had the gelt in a Target bag (YES! Target sells gelt…

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  • Do I Really Want My Readers To Know This?,  Jew Stuff

    Happy Hanukkah…Sigh.

    December 1, 2010

    Most of my readers know from previous posts that I normally despise decorating for holidays. One of my very first posts when I started blogging more than three years ago (that’s about two decades in Blog Years) was about how pitiful my Halloween decorations were/are. I just don’t get into it. I’m a creature of habit, and though it is Scrooge-like, I don’t like the “messiness” of scads of decorations making my already normal daily mess even messier. Get it? Except on Hanukkah. Hanukkah! Wow! I used to collect menorahs actively and now have about twenty-ish of them. I also have lots of dreidels, wall hangings, votive candle holders, dishes,…

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  • Jew Stuff,  Too Funny To Ignore

    Effects of the Technology Age

    October 3, 2010

    I spend Sunday mornings during the school year teaching a second grade religious school class of fifteen students at our temple. Today, we were talking about the First Commandent (“I am the Lord, your G-d”), and I began a discussion asking what my students wonder about G-d. Some of the points brought up for discussion: 1. Is G-d a “he” or a “she”?2. Is G-d a person?3. If G-d is supposed to be everywhere, is he/she everywhere at once, or does he/she just stop in everywhere from time to time? (My favorite!!) After discussing these topics for just a couple of minutes, I asked my class if there is a…

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  • Jew Stuff,  Travels

    Keeping Their Word.

    September 14, 2010

    I can personally, officially verify with 100% certainly that Audi fulfilled at least one of their two promises. Though I have no way to verify they kept their word on the other one, I choose to believe that they did. ©2010 Suburban Scrawl

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  • Jew Stuff,  Music

    Happy 5771!

    September 9, 2010

    I wanted to take a second to wish my Jewish readers a great big L’shanah Tovah Tikatevu: may you be inscribed for a good year! (For my 2008 informational post about Rosh Hashanah, click here.) We’re off to services at our temple in a bit, but don’t think I’m taking off without leaving you some entertainment! I’m over at The Music Mamas today, recapping some of the crazy stuff that’s happened over the years at the MTV Video Music Awards. Click here to check it out! ©2010 Suburban Scrawl

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  • Jew Stuff,  Travels

    So These Four Jews Go To Germany…

    August 29, 2010

    While on our wonderful family vacation in Germany, we had three Jewish experiences (two were planned; one was not) which I thought deserved mention in their own post. We first visited the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, which is completely different from saying that we visited Dachau. When the four of us were leaving Kat and Holger’s house to make the visit there, they made sure to tell us that though the area is known for this horrible piece of the Holocaust, the town of Dachau is a lovely place and we should make sure to visit the Altstadt there, since we’d be in the area. (Check out the website…

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  • Jew Stuff

    What Kind of Gift Should I Buy For A Bar or Bat Mitzvah?? (I’ll Tell You!)

    April 27, 2010

    In my endless quest to educate the people, I am giving you a gift: Part Two (of two) in my gift-giving series. Yesterday I wrote about Eagle Scout gifts; today I am discussing Bar or Bat Mitzvah presents. First, let me share a little information about what a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is. A girl becomes a Bat Mitzvah, which means “daughter of the commandment”, and a boy becomes a Bar MItzvah (“son of the commandment”). In the Jewish religion, youngsters become “adults within the community” at the age of twelve (girls) or thirteen (boys). Basically this means that they are responsible for observing the commandments, they are able to…

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  • Food,  Jew Stuff

    Here’s The Secret To Having A Super Passover Seder

    March 29, 2010

    Lean in so I don’t have to shout… Closer… Closer… Ready? Here’s the secret: That’s right. The secret to a super Passover seder is to serve MY charoset*. Seriously. Want the recipe? It’s in this post. Not Jewish? No problem: I feel confident that you could impress your family if you just put this out on the table one fine spring evening, just for kicks. If you are Jewish, I hope you have a Happy Passover! *I must add, out of respect to my good friend who is hosting the seder tonight (as she does every year) that the other secret to having a super Passover seder is good company,…

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