17 things I despise

1) I hate when my falafel does not stay intact and the hummus and falafel fall despairingly all over the place.
2) I hate when drivers disobey traffic rules and fail to stop at pedestrian crossings.
3) I hate it when I see 'practicing observant' Jews protesting against the state of Israel and its existence.
4) I hate certain parts of the media for their sensationalizing of the news.
5) I hate it when poured but untouched alcohol goes to waste.
6) I hate it when whilst in the midst of a rain downpour, the umbrella that is shielding you from the rain is blown inside out and far away.
7) I hate it when your local Rabbi ( for some it's your priest or sheikh) does not practice what he/she preaches.
8) I hate the fact that embassies and consulates have such short and useless operating hours.
9) I hate drinking warm beer.
10) I hate when people smoke (not discriminating on the type of smoke) and exhale directly into your face.
11) I hate it when people crawl and ingratiate themselves onto others i.e when they lick other people's shoes.
12) I hate when people are dishonest with their friendships. 
13) I hate it when the phone call you are about to answer stops short of ringing.
14) I hate it when the toilet overflows just as you have put new carpet down.
15) I hate it when you know you have had one too many matzoh balls in your soup. 
16) I hate it when the tennis ball that you were playing with is intercepted by the stray dog that is roaming around the park illegally unleashed. 
17) I hate conforming and like being different, so this one will be a hate yet love thing. I hate yet love airports. I love holidays/vacation. I hate saying goodbye.

There are plenty more, these are just a few.

Always remember 'make love not war'.

Please add on additional things in the comment section.

and remember to behave.

Eurovision 2009

Congratulations to Norway as they clinch the Eurovision song contest of 2009 in Moscow. Alexander Rybak and his song 'fairytale' was voted number 1. 

Israel finished 16th overall with Noa and Mira Awad singing 'there must be another way'. It is a song composed in Hebrew, Arabic and English.

Happy Mothers day

I wish my mother and sisters and whomever else wants to take my wishes, a happy mothers day.

This one is for you mum. A day (well it should be everyday) when you are to be spoiled and loved.

All my love.

Second Passover = second chances.

G-d loves us! You may ask how this is so? The fact that in life we are afforded second chances is proof to this matter.

 

Enter Adam and Eve, the first two human beings to reside in this great world. How lucky, living in the Garden of Eden. A transgression occurs, when they partake in the eating of the forbidden fruit. G-d decides instead of bringing about their death, they will be expelled from their ‘paradise’, the Garden of Eden. The human being is given a second chance in this world, minus the luxuries of the Garden of Eden.

 

We leave Egypt and stand at the foot of Mount Sinai, eagerly awaiting the appearance of Moses our leader who is to unveil and hand to us the Ten Commandments, our guide to life. We instead choose to dance around a Golden Calf. We lose hope and trust in G-d. Moses appears and sees the abominable sight of the Golden Calf and the ‘chosen people’ dancing around it, he subsequently breaks the two tablets. But G-d, yet again, gives us a second chance. A new set of the Ten Commandments are formed and we receive the Torah.

 

We are told that our bodily souls are creatures of reincarnation. Our souls have been to this world before, albeit in dissimilar forms, with distinct features and a different body. The soul returns to ‘fill the gaps’, which were left unfinished in their previous sojourn in this world. Our souls are ‘second chances’, here to accomplish and complete the souls’ unfulfilled mission.

 

There are countless other second chances that have been and in the future will be.

 

G-d commands that any person who was unable to bring the Paschal offering on Pesach, that a second opportunity to bring the offering will be made available on Pesach Sheni. One is not to think that the chance has elapsed or lost, it is not too late. The offering would be brought late, but better than never.

 

G-d is telling us, if we err, if there are mistakes in our lives, do not give up hope. There is a form of relief. G-D’s love and compassion in allowing us second chances, is not to be taken for granted. We must act. We must do. We must rectify. We must progress.

 

One may be afforded a second chance over another. A person may be given an additional opportunity to prove themselves in some form or manner. In contrast, one may not be given an instance of showing their true colours, through additional opportunities and ‘second’ chances. But, that is life my dear friends. G-d works in mysterious ways.

 

So, today being the Second Passover in Hebrew Pesach Sheni, a day in which we were recipients of a second chance, should give us the strength and faith to receive our ‘third chance’, the rebuilding of the third Temple in Jerusalem.

 

G-d truly does love us!   

Amish town and Philadelphia

I took a road-trip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania where the Amish have a compound of sorts. It was an interesting cultural experience to be exposed to the rituals, religiosity and customs of the Amish and Mennonites. 

They mainly use propane fueled devices for lighting and such. Many of the descendants who still live within the community practice and preserve their customs. They are a private sect and discourage many of the the modern world inventions and innovations.

I saw horse drawn buggies, old style breweries, flower mills and so on. I visualized as to how it was all those years back when the Amish was founded in Switzerland.

On the way back to New York, I stopped in Philadelphia for a bite to eat and meander about in the city where the declaration of independence was signed. 

Messi Affair

I know this will only be of interests to those soccer/football fans out there, but the Champions League final on the 27th of May 2009 in Rome, now has its combatants. Manchester United, the reigning champions from last year will take on Spanish giants, Barcelona FC. 

It is going to be a Messi affair, mind the pun. 

(Lionel Messi, is a Barcelona Player)

Cheap shots

Thursday nights call for celebrations - so being my first back in NYC in a month, It was organised to attend a bar in the East Village called 'Cheap Shots'. 

We are happily going about drinking, yapping, socialising etc. I bought a pitcher of beer and I stress that it was 'our' pitcher. I had placed the pitcher, half full, down on the table beside me whilst we consumed the beer that had already been poured. When the cups needed refills I turned to the pitcher and it was proudly sitting there empty. On the opposite side of the table, sat a Saadam Hussein lookalike, not part of our party drinking my beer. 

I call that a cheap shot.