Kedoshim

Kent Z., April 30, 2011, Temple Hillel B'nai Torah

Unfortunately, you took the day off to recover from a sick day.......this service and party was on your schedule, but a day of rest was more needed. You took a quick peak at the party Saturday night, after an hour declaring "I'm tired!"

I'm sure that Kent did a good job and his celebration was fun.

And now it's time for the trip to DC before a busy weekend next week.

Acharei Mot

Abigail K. , April 16, 2011, Temple Emanuel Newton, MA

Another lovely service at Temple Emanuel, Abigail did a nice job. In addition to her Bat Mitzvah there was a baby naming. Sometimes you tend to forget that the synagogue has other things going on........and the congregation seemed to be filled with congregants, not only related to the Bat Mitzvah and baby.

This week the usher came to talk to the kids...but not to tell them to keep quiet. He came to solicit volunteers, and Isaac and Kent had the honor of holding the first torah during the haftorah reading. A proud moment.

The elegant party was at the Henderson House, which as Goldie and Sammy put it "was sooooo Abigail"!!

Rachel B., April 16, 2011, Temple Beth Elohim

Halfway through the night, we brought Goldie and Sammy to Rachel's party at TBE, conveniently close to the Henderson House. Rachel is in your bunk at camp, hooray for camp parties! It was a very lively and loud party, and I recognized a few faces when we dropped you off. It's good to be young and invited to many parties.

And it is good to have a weekend off for Passover next week! May is busier than April!

Metzora

Mikki J. , April 9, 2011 Temple Israel, Boston

Mikki was cool as a cucumber, leading the service, and teaching her torah portion. She looked beautiful, too! As the Rabbi said, she made a difficult torah portion into an interesting topic, and did it with ease and an appropriate sense of humor. He also mentioned how the Janower family had taught everyone in the congregation something about overcoming odds from sickness. So true.

We guessed right about the Fashion theme! Fun magazine pictures.

Rebecca N., April 9, 2011, Chabad of Lexington

An evening Havdallah and dessert at Chabad was led by Rebecca. She has transitioned into quite a lovely lady also. Good to be with our Chabad peeps! We enjoyed Italian champagne and home made rugelach and lots of beautiful pictures of Rebecca in Italy and San Diego, her two homes away from home.

Tazria

Lily V., April 2, 2011, Temple Beth Elohim, Wellesley, MA

Lily is one of your first friends from Rashi school, when you were in Ms. Farber's Kindergarten class! Only a few classmates remain at Rashi from that first year, when the class was young and very sweet. Lily was pretty nervous but the Rabbi and her parents were very calming.

Services were at the newly remodeled TBE, and the sanctuary was magnificent. The party was very fun, and included a Flash mob, a monkey (!!) and very creative face painting.

Bayla Bukiet, April 2, 2011, Chabad of Lexington, Lexington MA

The 5th daughter of Rabbi Bukiet, Bayla was at nursery school at the same time as you and Jacob at Chabad. Those were the years we really got to know the Bukiet family, and to enjoy Chabad. Dad and Jacob went to the services, and enjoyed Bayla's D'var Torah. Mazel Tov to the Bukiets.

Shemini

Ellen P., Newton Center Minyan, March 26, 2011

Today was a lovely service led by Ellen's mom, Ellen, and then her brother at the Newton Center Minyan, housed in the Hebrew College. It was truly a family event. And Ellen had the longest parshah, which she chanted with ease and confidence. Goldie you mentioned that it was long for her minyan earlier this week at Rashi, and you were right! Her dad spoke of her sense of humor, and when you describe your friend Ellen, it is also always about her sense of humor. Tonight is a party at BU Hillel, as both Ellen's parents are professors at BU. Another college party!

Shemini

Shi'al D., Tel Aviv, Israel, B'yom Shlishi, Tet Gimel B'Adar II (March 22, 2011)

The invitations came in an envelope this week for us, Soussan, Bijan and Albert in LA. This is Dad's cousin Jacob's son. We last saw Jacob when you were born Goldie, which means that his son was a few months old when he came with his parents to LA. Once we got the invitation translated (we could read it, but didn't understand it all) it was quite touching. Something to the effect of , I am growing up, it's time to put away the games and play, time to take things more seriously, time to do mitzvot.

Hopefully we get to Israel to meet him soon.

Vayikra

Ayden M., Congregation Hillel B'nai Torah, West Roxbury MA March 12, 2011

Ayden is one of your friends that shares a certain special experience with you....time in China. Ayden and her family lived in Xi'an for four months while we were in Shanghai. They came and spent a week with us in Shanghai, seeing the sites and celebrating Passover in only the way we can in China! And then we went to see the Terracotta Warriors and sites of Xi'an for a long weekend with them. It was all very fun, having another familiar family to travel with and make China not feel so big and foreign. I will never forget our Passover Jeopardy game, and cooking with Ayden's mom in our tiny kitchen.

Ayden was impressive today, leading the services and chanting Torah with her beautiful voice. Bruce and Jocelyn were beaming!

Carolyn P. Temple Beth Shalom, Needham, MA March 12,2011

After Ayden's services you went to Carolyn's party in Norwood. It all looked so fun! Good to be with the bunk of girls from Camp Eisner. Only 4 months to camp........