Packing our bags and going to Israel...

Don't be jealous.

Ok - you can be a little jealous.

We're going to Israel this week for a 2-week vacation for a family member's bar mitzvah.  My whole family is going - so this is a massive 2-week vacation with my whole family.  My husband couldn't be more thrilled.  :=)

No really - we are psyched.  This is our first real vacation in....years....and we're going with the kids, plus we're going to ISRAEL!!!!!!  Really - is there a better place to go?!?!?

(ok - totally not counting Florence or Paris...)

Anyway, that's why there haven't been posts from me lately (been busy with work and such), and there won't be posts from me for the next two weeks (unless I surprise you AND myself).  But here's a question - I'd love to hear any suggestions you may have for fun "field trips" or activities to do with the kids...we won't be renting a car so activities have to be easy to get to, but so far I've only found activities that are open on Shabbat so that won't do, but if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks!!

Dr. Mitchell Bard at the JCC tonight!

Join Dr. Mitchell Bard tonight (March 31) at the JCC for a special lecture on the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (stupid) movement against Israel.  Here are the details:

The Center for Jewish Living and Learning at the Jewish Community Center of Houston presents The Vilification and De-legitimization of Israel, Thursday, March 31 at 8:00 p.m.  Join us for a lecture with guest speaker Dr. Mitchell Bard, author of The Arab Lobby: The Invisible Alliance That Undermines America's Interests in the Middle East.
The boycott, divestment, sanctions (BDS) movement is focused largely on college campuses, but it is especially nefarious because it is one element of a broader global campaign aimed at the delegitimization of Zionism and, ultimately, the elimination of Israel. The BDS campaign is also a fight about freedom of speech that seeks to stifle academic exchanges and trade with Israel and to claim for its adherents' rights it denies to Israel and its defenders.
Join Dr. Bard as he addresses the history of the BDS movement and how the Jewish community should respond.
This lecture is offered in partnership between the Jewish Community Center and Congregation Beth Yeshurun.

 The JCC is located at 5601 S. Braeswood, Houston 77096.

Today is a BIG day!!

There is a stupid worldwide movement trending right now to boycott Israeli-made products, I guess to weaken Israel's economy and destroy it that way.

Um - ok.  I guess those people can stop using Google search, online chat, cell phones, mammograms, voice mail, thumb drives (USB flash), oh - and they can stop eating cherry tomatoes because all those things have their origins in Israel.  (Who knew?  Check out here and here.)

So while they're busy doing that - what we need to do is go BIG!!  BUY ISRAELI GOODS!!

Today - March 30 - go out to your local stores and buy Israeli goods.  Find the store manager - thank them personally for carrying those products and that you appreciate them not capitulating to the idiots out there.

Here are some ideas for local goods:

• Yes To products (beauty, skincare) - found at Walgreens
• Gottex (swimwear) - Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's, Dillard's, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom
• Victoria's Secret (lingerie) - lots of their products are manufactured in Israel - who knew?
• Keter (home storage, hardware) - Home Depot, Costco (I saw it there a few weeks ago)
• AHAVA & Mineral Care (Dead Sea skincare) - Marshall's, Sears, Sephora
• Wine - Beldens, Kroger, maybe Spec's
• Food - Costco (Israeli Feta), Beldens, HEB, Kroger, Randalls - this should be an easy one

This is just a beginner's list.  Check out the BIG website - even though Houston isn't listed, you can click through the categories for the other cities/regions and look at Israeli brands that are sold in the chain stores we all have.

Light will always outshine the darkness

This weekend, we saw the awful destruction that both man and nature can create.

In Japan - the earthquake, the tsunami(s?), the possible nuclear meltdown, the chaos - the sheer uncertainty of life.

In Israel - a family shattered forever, on Shabbat during their sleep - what is supposed to be the most secure time in one's week.

One destruction by the hand of nature, one destruction by the hand of man.

I keep thinking - there is no way the news can get worse.  I've been thinking this for a few years now, as the news headlines have become more outrageous.  Economic collapse, horrible crimes, political revolutions, natural disasters - every time I read a headline, I think:  this is it.  Mashaich just has to come because I can't imagine how much more insane the headlines have to get.

And yet, the next day, the sun shines.  It always shines.  It always rises and shines and makes the sky look pretty and the flowers open and the birds chirp.  Always.

That teaches us a lesson.  It teaches us that to dispel darkness, we must give light.  This is what Chabad teaches.  When times seem to be the most dark - when things look the most bleak to you, that is when you must give light to the world.  Goodness.  Hope.  Faith.  Acts of kindness and charity.  It's what got the 33 Chilean miners through.  It's what Little Orphan Annie sings about.  It's what gets us through our darkest moments - that hope for a better future, that things will turn around, and we will see the light. 

So do what you can, please, to bring forth more light into this world.  Light candles on Friday night, or give charity in honor of Purim, or share an unsolicited kind word about someone.  Do what you can to increase the light.

Hadag Nachash - in Houston - this Sunday!

Hadag Nachash comes to Houston on their way over to Austin's South by Southwest Festival to play at Warehouse Live on Sunday night March 13!!!

If you've never seen them perform, get ready - they are excellent performers!!

Back when we lived in Pennsylvania, my husband was able to bring the band to our college town and that's when we really became familiar with their music.  Hebrew knowledge is a huge plus since many of their songs are in Hebrew - but it's ok if Hebrew isn't your strong suit; they give a great concert.

For more information about the band, check out this article and you can buy tickets here.

Drop me a line if you go!

Israel at the Rodeo?!?!?

Unless you are a recent transplant to Houston (as in, maybe you got here yesterday), you know that the Rodeo (with a capital R, because there really is only one) is the biggest event of the year.  It's not really just an event - it's an entire parallel universe.

So, given that, OF COURSE Israel has something to do with the Rodeo this year.  Don't believe me?  Check this out: