Finally back in Crown Heights.... and I am never taking the red eye from LA ever again. I am more jet lagged than when I came to NY from Singapore! this is ridiculous... meanwhile this song keeps running around my head, care of Tova and Shayna of course :


"Camp Gan Izzy can you hear it,
Here we come with lots of spirit,
We love to learn and do mitzvos galore,
Give tzedakah to the poor.
Camp Gan Izzy,
Camp Gan Izzy,
Camp Gan Izzy,
We'll bring Moshiach now!"

Well, at least I got some learning done over the summer...... There is something to be said for internalising information after hearing it repeatedly....

I'll post up some pix from LA once I manage to get the cotton wool out of my head....

Another blistering day in LA......

........... and after a cool drink of water upon returning home from picking up the kids from camp, I learned today's Hayom Yom. It was so beautiful and inspirational that it had to make the blog.

"There are two general approaches in healing a bodily illness : a) To heal the particular organ or faculty that is defective, sick or weak; b) to strengthen the healthy organs and faculties so that they may overcome and heal the sick organ or faculty.

The parallel in illness of the soul are the two approaches in service of G-d -- *teshuva and good deeds."

*teshuva = to return or repent

I thought it was particularly meaningful when read in conjuction with yesterday's Hayom Yom (in which we are urged, in the coming month of Elul, to do a 'stock-take' of our spiritual strengths and deficiencies in order that we may be prepared for the month of Tishrei that marks a brand new year.)

Happy assessing !!

From the City of Angels


Its been a long time since I last blogged.... I've been kept busy in the City of (my) Angels - my angels being Tova and Shayna of course. Excited shrieks of "Good morning Camp Gan Izzy!!" wake me up every morning, followed closely by heartfelt renditions of "We Want Moshiach Now!" which occur spontaneously during the day.

I had an interesting conversation with Tova the other day about the neighbours, Brad and Jack. Brad and Jack live together with their 2 dogs, Linus and Schroeder. They (the owners, not the dogs) dress immaculately, have a great sense of style, drive fancy cars and are the most friendly, outgoing neighbours anyone could ask for. You get the picture.

My conversation with Tova (she's 7) went something like this :

Me (pointing to the neighbour's house) : Who lives there again? I always forget their names. (I was trying to make a mental inventory of all the neighbours' names in case of an emergency.)
Tova : Brad and Jack.
Me: Oh ok thanks.
Tova : They say they are brothers.
Me : Oh?
Tova : Yeh. But if you ask me, (lowers voice conspiratorially) I don't really think they are brothers.
Me : Ohhhhhh???? (This was getting interesting.)
Tova : Yeh. For sure they are not.
Me : Nahhh I think they are.
Tova : No way. You know why?
Me : Why ? (Oh please oh please I hope she didn't see them sharing a smooch - this is LA after all!!!!)
Tova : Cos they don't even look like each other !
Me : oh yeh of coooourrrrrrrse....... (breathe.....)


Wow that was a close one, plus I was on the floor laughing. Never put anything past kids.

Today was Shabbos Mevarchim. Can't believe its almost Elul ! The thought of starting school again makes my heart race in anticipation. Can't wait.

Meanwhile, I am soaking up the beautiful California sun as summer slowly draws to a close.

Later, everyone.