Dedications...

This song is dedicated to:

my beloved friend J. Do you know how much I love you?? How much you mean to me?? Days go by without seeing you, shabbat is always sweet.

also to B... I miss you.

and lastly to myself.

Breathe (2 AM) Anna Nalick


2 AM and she calls me 'cause I'm still awake,
Can you help me unravel my latest mistake,
I don't love him, winter just wasn't my season
Yeah we walk through the doors, so accusing their eyes
Like they have any right at all to criticize,
Hypocrites, you're all here for the very same reason

'Cause you can't jump the track,we're like cars on a cable
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button girl,
So cradle your head in your hands
And breathe, just breathe,
Woah breathe, just breathe

May he turn 21 on the base at Fort Bliss
Just a day, he sat down to the flask in his fist,
Ain't been sober, since maybe October of last year.
Here in town you can tell he's been down for a while,
But my God it's so beautiful when the boy smiles,
Wanna hold him, maybe I'll just sing about it.

Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table.
No one can find the rewind button boys,
So cradle your head in your hands,
And breathe, just breathe,
Woah breathe, just breathe

There's a light at each end of this tunnel, you shout
'Cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out
These mistakes you've made, you'll just make them again
If you only try turning around.

2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, its no longer
Inside of me, threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to

Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button now
Sing it if you understand.
And breathe, just breathe
Woah breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe.

Chacham Ovadia Yosef: Use Caution By Kapporot

It's funny I was just sent this article because I was trying to figure out what to do this year. I received the phone call yesterday that they will be doing kapparot tomorrow night and early Friday morning locally. I did kapparot last year and I remember feeling bummed out a bit because of it. Although I felt an intense sense of what the deep meaning behind the minhag was, I felt like the chicken itself did not get a whole lot of respect. There I was holding the hen out of her box, loving her and calming her down. I said the prayers and then got in line to wait my turn to hand my hen over to the shochet. After I did I felt like it was very UNceremoniously done.

Listen, the truth is, they are in a hurry because there are a lot of chickens to be done.

It's just...

I felt so bummed. For some reason I expected more for the chicken. You read stories about animals who WANTED to go to the Beit HaMikdash as a kappara, and although I know this is NOT a replacement in any way for our Holy Temple, I just thought there would be a bit more, I don't know... ceremony?

Anyway, this article gives me alot to think about.

L'shana Tova!!!

To all! May you be inscribed for a wonderful year! May you receive blessing and happiness! May you draw closer to Hashem and to grow in Torah and mitzvot! And may this year be the one that we merit the coming geulah, with the rebuilding of our Holy Temple and the revelation of our Righteous Moshiach, speedily and on our time!!!

Amen v' amen!!!

Who's going to Uman???

I want to send a kvittel to Rabbienu.

Help a sistah out!

Where I am holding

The silent scream

You can shout and scream with a “still, small voice” without anybody hearing you. Everybody can do this. Imagine the sound of such a scream in your mind. Imagine the shout exactly as it would sound. Concentrate on hearing the scream in your mind until you are literally screaming with this soundless “still, small voice” – and nobody else will hear anything.

This is actually a scream and not mere imagination. Just as there are channels that bring the sound from your lungs to your lips, so there are nerves that bring the sound to the brain. You can draw the sound through these nerves, literally bringing it into your head. When you do this, you are actually shouting inside your brain.

When you imagine this scream in your mind, the sound actually rings inside your brain. You can stand in a crowd of people screaming this way and no- one hears you.

It could be that when you do this, a faint sound may escape your mouth. This is because the sound traveling through the nerves to the brain can also activate the vocal organs, and they may then produce some sound. But it will be very faint.

It is much easier to shout in this way without words. When you wish to express yourself in words, it is harder to hold the voice in the mind without letting a sound escape your lips. Without words, it is much easier.

Sichot Haran #16

Planning and Planting

If you plan for one year, plant rice.
If you plan for ten years, plant a tree.
If you plan for a lifetime, educate your child.
-- Chinese proverb

Do me a favor...

Before you make the phone call, pray.
Before you speak the words, pray.
Before you make a judgement, pray.
Before you feel the 'need' to say anything, pray.

...and then, pray some more.

Shed Omnipotence

"The first step to take in order to become a Montessori teacher is to shed omnipotence and to become a joyous observer."

Maria Montessori
To Educate the Human Potential

Buh bye summer, hello BTS!!

It is officially done. Summer schedules are over, late nights are kapoot and early rising has begun. It is BTS or Back to School for all you laymen out there.
I officially start today back at the preschool. Not only that, my youngest starts back at Homeschool High School. Can we say FULL PLATE!!

I cannot believe that I could not sleep last night. I mean, I slept a little bit, but I woke up several times thinking, "How will we do the tefillot again?" and "I can't wait to see so-and-so again!" I felt like a little child! Every year it's the same excitement! Do all the teachers feel this way?

We worked so hard to get the classroom set up and all the wonderful work out for the children. We also tried to create a peaceful environment along with an academically challenging classroom. Natural for the child and smooth flowing. To be honest, I look at it as a big homeschool away from home. I really cannot wait to see them and welcome all our little scholars.

To all my fellow teachers, at home and it the formal classroom setting, I wish you much success and blessing on your year. 'Shed omnipotence', trust in Hashem, keep a joyful heart and remember our focus and why we do what we do, the children!