(for those of you who requested the words:)
שרח לוחשת לסבא יעקב
על אוזנו לוחשת סוד
עוד יוסף חי- הוא מלך בצמרים
יש לו שתי בנים- מנשה ואפרים
- עוד יוסף חי
דיין זון יוסף ליבט
הוא מלך בצמרים
ער איז א קעניג אין מצרים
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Yungers in Action: Serach bas Asher re-enacted
Today Bruria made a Kinor out of clics, and she started running around the house singing a song about Serach bas Asher- she must have sang it at least 20 times by the time I got the camera out- it was absolutely adorable!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Rabbit Food
My kids have a new method of eating carrots- they like me to peel the whole thing, all the way down to nothing, and then they eat the peels. They say this way they are like rabbits (we used to give our peels to our neighbors, to feed their rabbits, until they spoiled the rabbits by giving them REAL veggies!)
It's a little ridiculous, but at least they're eating vegetables!
It's a little ridiculous, but at least they're eating vegetables!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sister Get-Together
Today we had a little Minkus sisters get-together (we were supposed to see each other over Chanuka but it didn't work out- that's a whole nother story) and it was a blast! Everyone came out to Beitar, and we had some real nice family time. My kids were all looking forward to it- they told all their friends we were having a party- one of them even called up and asked if he could come (but we said no- family only!) We even had a special guest...Mommy/Bubbie! Well, not really in person, but we did a web-cam hookup, and we all really enjoyed shmoozing with Mommy/Bubbie! Then we had an early supper- everyone brought something - it was delicious! We were so sad when it was time for everyone to go, but be"h we'll have to try to do this more often!
Monday, December 28, 2009
How many languages do YOU speak?
Yisrael decided that he is multi-lingual. Well, he really is, but he thinks that he "speaks" many more languages than just English and Ivrit. So we asked him, what other languages do you speak? Here's his response:
- Yiddish: "When my Rebbe answers his cell phone, he says 'Vas Hertzich' and that's Yiddish!" (He is actually picking up a bit of Yiddish in Cheder- his Rebbe sings a lot of Yiddishe songs with them, and he throws in a bit of Yiddish here and there, such as his good morning routine)
- Arabic: "A dreidel in Aravit is a Sababon (his Rebbe taught him that), and if you want to eat watermelon, you have to say 'Ana badi batich' '" (he got that from Saba Yosef)
- Tzarfatit (French): Some word that the Rebbe from the other class taught them one day when his Rebbe wasn't there- I couldn't understand what he was saying, but I guess that's because I don't speak French (although I do know how to say please and thank you in French...)
- Spanish: Uno, Dos, Tres... (courtesy of me, which I can thank Sesame Street for!)
Sunday, December 27, 2009
You're not my mother!
Its a rare occasion that I end up wearing my sheitel. During the week, I almost never put it on, and even on Shabbos, I often end up wearing a nice Shabbos snood - its just much more conducive to running after the kids, and cuddling with them on the couch- and this way they don't end up pulling the hair and messing it up!
Well this past Shabbos, for a change, I decided to put my sheitel on. As soon as I came downstairs, the kids all commented, "Oh, Mommy has a sheitel!" - they seemed excited (ususally if I wear a sheitel it means we're going somewhere!) but Naftali took one look at me and started SCREAMING! I tried to pick him up and he recoiled- he immediately reached for Bentzi, and looked at me with absolute horror. Bentzi picked him up and calmed him down, but as soon as he looked at me again, he started crying again- hysterically!
It took him quite a while to get used to looking at me- I guess he didn't realize it was me! But B"H he finally settled down, and came to terms with the fact that this woman with hair, who sounds like his mother, and acts like his mother, must really be his mother!
Well this past Shabbos, for a change, I decided to put my sheitel on. As soon as I came downstairs, the kids all commented, "Oh, Mommy has a sheitel!" - they seemed excited (ususally if I wear a sheitel it means we're going somewhere!) but Naftali took one look at me and started SCREAMING! I tried to pick him up and he recoiled- he immediately reached for Bentzi, and looked at me with absolute horror. Bentzi picked him up and calmed him down, but as soon as he looked at me again, he started crying again- hysterically!
It took him quite a while to get used to looking at me- I guess he didn't realize it was me! But B"H he finally settled down, and came to terms with the fact that this woman with hair, who sounds like his mother, and acts like his mother, must really be his mother!
Friday, December 25, 2009
What 'color' are you?
Yisrael has started to become aware of the different 'colors' of frumkeit. He learns in a litvishe cheder, but most (if not all) of the Rebbeim are either Chasidish or Yerushalmi. So he's starting to learn about the different types of Yidden- But I'm not sure if he realizes that the differences are anything beyond appearances. One day, as we were eating lunch, he told us:
Yisrael: Dovid, a boy in my class, is a Lita'iy, even though his Tatty is a Chassid
Tatty: Really, how could that be?
Yisrael: Well, his father has long peyos so he's a Chassid, but Dovid's peyos are short, so he's a Lita'iy. And you know what else? I'm a Chassid even though you (Tatty) aren't, because I have long peyos!
Tatty: (more to me than to Yisrael) Oh, I guess that means that we'll have to cut your peyos!
His peyos have gotten pretty long- by his last haircut he wouldn't let me cut his peyos, since he wanted them to be like his Rebbe's. But now we decided that enough is enough, so on Erev Shabbos, Bentzi gave his peyos a trim. Afterwards, Yisrael came running to me and said, "Mommy, look! Now I'm not a Chassid anymore, because Tatty cut my peyos! Now I'm a Lita'iy!"
(Just wait until he realizes that there's more...there also Sefardim, and then there's Chabad who are Chassidim even though they dress more like Litvish, then there are Breslov who are Sefardim AND Chassidim, then there's also Dati Leumi, Dati, Mesorati....wouldn't it be much simpler if we were all just plain JEWISH?!?! )
That reminds me of a poem I once read....I'll post it here as well - (sorry if this post is getting too long!)
Yisrael: Dovid, a boy in my class, is a Lita'iy, even though his Tatty is a Chassid
Tatty: Really, how could that be?
Yisrael: Well, his father has long peyos so he's a Chassid, but Dovid's peyos are short, so he's a Lita'iy. And you know what else? I'm a Chassid even though you (Tatty) aren't, because I have long peyos!
Tatty: (more to me than to Yisrael) Oh, I guess that means that we'll have to cut your peyos!
His peyos have gotten pretty long- by his last haircut he wouldn't let me cut his peyos, since he wanted them to be like his Rebbe's. But now we decided that enough is enough, so on Erev Shabbos, Bentzi gave his peyos a trim. Afterwards, Yisrael came running to me and said, "Mommy, look! Now I'm not a Chassid anymore, because Tatty cut my peyos! Now I'm a Lita'iy!"
(Just wait until he realizes that there's more...there also Sefardim, and then there's Chabad who are Chassidim even though they dress more like Litvish, then there are Breslov who are Sefardim AND Chassidim, then there's also Dati Leumi, Dati, Mesorati....wouldn't it be much simpler if we were all just plain JEWISH?!?! )
That reminds me of a poem I once read....I'll post it here as well - (sorry if this post is getting too long!)
Moshiach's Hat (A Poem To Ponder)
By Anonymous ben Klonymous (who else?)
'Twas the night of the Geulah,
And in every single Shtiebel
Sounds of Torah could be heard
Coming from every kind of Yeedel.
This one in English,
Some in Hebrew, some in Yiddish.
Some saying P'shat
And some saying a Chiddish.
And up in Shamayim
The Aibishter decreed:
"The time has come
For My children to be freed.
"Rouse the Moshiach
From his heavenly berth.
Have him get in his chariot,
And head down to earth."
The Moshiach got dressed
And with a heart full of glee,
Went down to earth and entered
the first Shtiebel he did see.
"I am the Moshiach!
Hashem has heard your plea!
Your Geulah has come!
It's time to go free!
"They all stopped their learning;
This was quite a surprise.
And they look at him carefully,
With piercing sharp eyes-
"He's not the Moshiach!"
Said one with a grin,
"Just look at his hat,
At the pinches and brim!"
"That's right!" cried another
With a grimace and frown,
"Whoever heard of Moshiach,
With a brim that's turned down?"
"Well," thought Moshiach,
"If this is the rule,
I'll turn my brim up
Before I go to the next shul."
So he walked right on over
To the next shul in town.
Sure to be accepted,
Since his brim was no longer down.
"I'm, the Moshiach!" he cried,
As he began to enter
But the Jews wanted to know first
If he was Left Right or Center
Your clothes are so black!"
They cried out in fright.
"You can't be Moshiach!-
You're much too far right!"
"If you want to be Moshiach,
You must be properly outfitted."
So they replaced his black hat
With a Kippah that was knitted.
Wearing his new Kippah,
Moshiach went out and said:
"No difference to me
What I wear on my head."
So he went to the next shul,
For his mission was dear.
But he was getting frustrated -
With the Yidden down here.
"I'm the Moshiach!" he cried,
And they all stopped to stare,
And a complete eerie stillness
Filled up the air.
"You're the Moshiach?!
Just imagine that!
Whoever heard of Moshiach
Without a black hat?"
"But I do have a hat!
The Moshiach then said.
So he pulled it right out
And plunked it down on his head.
Then the shul started laughing,
And one said " Where's your kop?
You can't have Moshiach
With a brim that's turned up!"
"If you want to be Moshiach
And be accepted in this town,
Put some pinches in your hat
And turn that brim down!"
Moshiach walked out and said:
"I guess my time hasn't come.
I'll just return
To where I came from."
So he went to his chariot,
But as he began to enter,
all sorts of Jews appeared
From the Left, Right, and Center.
"Please wait - do not leave.
It's all their fault!" they said,
And they pointed to each other
And to what was on each other's head.
Moshiach just looked sad
And said, " You don't understand."
And then started up his chariot
To get out of this land.
"Yes, it's very wonderful
That you all learn Torah,
But you seem to have forgotten
A crucial part of our Mesorah."
"What does he mean?"
"What's he talking about?"
And they all looked bewildered,
And they all began to shout.
Moshiach looked back and answered,
"The first place to start,
Is to shut up your mouths
And open your hearts.
"To each of you, certain Yidden
Seem too Frum or too Frei,
But all Yidden are beloved
in the Aibishter's eye."
And on his way up he shouted:
"If you want me to come,
Try working a little harder
On some Ahavas Chinam!"
'Twas the night of the Geulah,
And in every single Shtiebel
Sounds of Torah could be heard
Coming from every kind of Yeedel.
This one in English,
Some in Hebrew, some in Yiddish.
Some saying P'shat
And some saying a Chiddish.
And up in Shamayim
The Aibishter decreed:
"The time has come
For My children to be freed.
"Rouse the Moshiach
From his heavenly berth.
Have him get in his chariot,
And head down to earth."
The Moshiach got dressed
And with a heart full of glee,
Went down to earth and entered
the first Shtiebel he did see.
"I am the Moshiach!
Hashem has heard your plea!
Your Geulah has come!
It's time to go free!
"They all stopped their learning;
This was quite a surprise.
And they look at him carefully,
With piercing sharp eyes-
"He's not the Moshiach!"
Said one with a grin,
"Just look at his hat,
At the pinches and brim!"
"That's right!" cried another
With a grimace and frown,
"Whoever heard of Moshiach,
With a brim that's turned down?"
"Well," thought Moshiach,
"If this is the rule,
I'll turn my brim up
Before I go to the next shul."
So he walked right on over
To the next shul in town.
Sure to be accepted,
Since his brim was no longer down.
"I'm, the Moshiach!" he cried,
As he began to enter
But the Jews wanted to know first
If he was Left Right or Center
Your clothes are so black!"
They cried out in fright.
"You can't be Moshiach!-
You're much too far right!"
"If you want to be Moshiach,
You must be properly outfitted."
So they replaced his black hat
With a Kippah that was knitted.
Wearing his new Kippah,
Moshiach went out and said:
"No difference to me
What I wear on my head."
So he went to the next shul,
For his mission was dear.
But he was getting frustrated -
With the Yidden down here.
"I'm the Moshiach!" he cried,
And they all stopped to stare,
And a complete eerie stillness
Filled up the air.
"You're the Moshiach?!
Just imagine that!
Whoever heard of Moshiach
Without a black hat?"
"But I do have a hat!
The Moshiach then said.
So he pulled it right out
And plunked it down on his head.
Then the shul started laughing,
And one said " Where's your kop?
You can't have Moshiach
With a brim that's turned up!"
"If you want to be Moshiach
And be accepted in this town,
Put some pinches in your hat
And turn that brim down!"
Moshiach walked out and said:
"I guess my time hasn't come.
I'll just return
To where I came from."
So he went to his chariot,
But as he began to enter,
all sorts of Jews appeared
From the Left, Right, and Center.
"Please wait - do not leave.
It's all their fault!" they said,
And they pointed to each other
And to what was on each other's head.
Moshiach just looked sad
And said, " You don't understand."
And then started up his chariot
To get out of this land.
"Yes, it's very wonderful
That you all learn Torah,
But you seem to have forgotten
A crucial part of our Mesorah."
"What does he mean?"
"What's he talking about?"
And they all looked bewildered,
And they all began to shout.
Moshiach looked back and answered,
"The first place to start,
Is to shut up your mouths
And open your hearts.
"To each of you, certain Yidden
Seem too Frum or too Frei,
But all Yidden are beloved
in the Aibishter's eye."
And on his way up he shouted:
"If you want me to come,
Try working a little harder
On some Ahavas Chinam!"
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Yungers in Action: Mixing bowl... or a merry-go-round?
The kids love to play with my big mixing bowl- ususally they fill it with toys and "cook" - but today Bruria found a new use for it:
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Cute Quote: How to pronounce Bruria's name
Yisrael: BRuRia (hard American-sounding R), come here!
Bruria: That's not my name! My name is Brrrurrria (throaty, Israeli resh)!
Yisrael: I know- that's your name in Ivrit- but I'm saying your name in English!
Bruria: That's not my name! My name is Brrrurrria (throaty, Israeli resh)!
Yisrael: I know- that's your name in Ivrit- but I'm saying your name in English!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Got Milk?
Mornings in the Yunger household can get pretty hectic - so sometimes I tend to "neglect" the younger two until I get Yisrael and Bruria ready to go to Cheder and Gan. One morning, Azriel Shraga kept asking me for a drink of milk, and I kept telling him "Soon" or "One minute". Well I guess he got tired of waiting, and he decided to take matters into his own hands!
Monday, December 14, 2009
I'm a winner
(Yes, I know we all knew that already...)
I am the second winner of the 8 Nights, 8 Flights email campaign, run by Oorah! Pretty crazy, huh? I always sign up for these things, figuring- "what do I have to lose- its free!" but somehow I don't have mazal to actually win things (until now, that is!)
So when Mommy called me yesterday because she saw that I won, I was shocked! I was in the middle of putting the kids to bed, and they couldn't figure out why all of a sudden Mommy was shrieking like a lunatic (like I said, exciting things like this usually don't happen to me!)
So basically, I am now the proud owner of a free trip to/from Israel ($1000 max) which has to be used by the end of 2010. Or, I can opt for the $850 cash prize.
So when am I coming to visit? Not sure if and when that will be. Maybe if there's a chasuna in the family? (no pressure, Tehila!) Yisrael already told me that HE wants to use the ticket to fly to America (yeah right, he cries if we try to get him to walk to Cheder by himself...) or we could always opt for the $....a little bit extra cash could never hurt!
Anyway, there's still another 5 drawings left, so make sure to sign up if you haven't already....you may be the next winner!
I am the second winner of the 8 Nights, 8 Flights email campaign, run by Oorah! Pretty crazy, huh? I always sign up for these things, figuring- "what do I have to lose- its free!" but somehow I don't have mazal to actually win things (until now, that is!)
So when Mommy called me yesterday because she saw that I won, I was shocked! I was in the middle of putting the kids to bed, and they couldn't figure out why all of a sudden Mommy was shrieking like a lunatic (like I said, exciting things like this usually don't happen to me!)
So basically, I am now the proud owner of a free trip to/from Israel ($1000 max) which has to be used by the end of 2010. Or, I can opt for the $850 cash prize.
So when am I coming to visit? Not sure if and when that will be. Maybe if there's a chasuna in the family? (no pressure, Tehila!) Yisrael already told me that HE wants to use the ticket to fly to America (yeah right, he cries if we try to get him to walk to Cheder by himself...) or we could always opt for the $....a little bit extra cash could never hurt!
Anyway, there's still another 5 drawings left, so make sure to sign up if you haven't already....you may be the next winner!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Bruria's Chanuka party in Gan
Today I was invited to Bruria's gan to partake in a special Chanuka party. Her teachers really went all-out to prepare a really nice morning. Her music teacher came, and she had numerous different activities and props to do with the kids, some of which are pictured below.
(All nursery morahs and ganenets should pay some real close attention: you can get some really cute ideas!)
First, we did a lot of music activities- each girl got a pom-pom (with ribbons the colors of flames) to shake while they sang (see top left picture- sorry that she has her finger in her nose but I couldn't get a better shot!). After that, each girl got a musical instruments to play along with the music. We also sand a song about lighting the menorah, and we 'lit' a menorah made out of styrofoam (which the girls had decorated a different day), by sticking in toothpicks with 'flames' on the ends. After that, we sang a song about making olive oil, and each girl got to 'squeeze' her (pretend) olive into a huge bottle! We also did a special dreidel dance, with each mother spinning her 'dreidel' (daughter) around and around!
Next, they had the mothers hold onto a huge black sheet, and the girls all danced around underneath- to symbolize darkness. Then, they told all the girls to pop out through the holes, so they could have light! (see top right picture)
Finally, her teachers constructed a huge 'frying pan', and each girl was given a sufganiya hat. They danced around inside the frying pan, and when they were all ready, us mothers put 'jelly' on them! (see both bottom pictures)
We were then treated to a sumptuous milchig brunch, and of course each girl got a pekala! It was really a very sweet morning, and I must say that both Bruria and I really enjoyed!
(All nursery morahs and ganenets should pay some real close attention: you can get some really cute ideas!)
First, we did a lot of music activities- each girl got a pom-pom (with ribbons the colors of flames) to shake while they sang (see top left picture- sorry that she has her finger in her nose but I couldn't get a better shot!). After that, each girl got a musical instruments to play along with the music. We also sand a song about lighting the menorah, and we 'lit' a menorah made out of styrofoam (which the girls had decorated a different day), by sticking in toothpicks with 'flames' on the ends. After that, we sang a song about making olive oil, and each girl got to 'squeeze' her (pretend) olive into a huge bottle! We also did a special dreidel dance, with each mother spinning her 'dreidel' (daughter) around and around!
Next, they had the mothers hold onto a huge black sheet, and the girls all danced around underneath- to symbolize darkness. Then, they told all the girls to pop out through the holes, so they could have light! (see top right picture)
Finally, her teachers constructed a huge 'frying pan', and each girl was given a sufganiya hat. They danced around inside the frying pan, and when they were all ready, us mothers put 'jelly' on them! (see both bottom pictures)
We were then treated to a sumptuous milchig brunch, and of course each girl got a pekala! It was really a very sweet morning, and I must say that both Bruria and I really enjoyed!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Mechira Madness
Well, for those of you who have been wondering why I've been a little out-of-touch lately, I have a VERY good excuse. I have been busy organizing a huge "Yard" sale (I call it a Mechira) to raise money for Bentzi's yeshiva. I did it once in the summer, and it was a big success, so I decided that now would be a good time to do another one. Basically, we got donations of clothes, shoes, books, housewares, etc., and I had to go through everything and throw out whatever was not sellable, and sort and price whatever was. It was a VERY big job, but B"H we had the sale for two days this week and we raised over $3,500! I am doing another sale next week, where everything will be 50% off, so hopefully we'll bring in some more!
(now that things are starting to wind down with the sale, I've got to catch up with everything else that's fallen to the wayside...PLEASE don't look at the state of my house right now!)
UPDATE 12/10/09: B"H our last sale went well, and our total is now over $4,500!
UPDATE 12/10/09: B"H our last sale went well, and our total is now over $4,500!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Haircut Mishaps
Today I gave Yisrael a haircut, and after going across his head once, the machine decided to stop working! Yikes! He was VERY shaggy already (I've been so busy with other things that his haircut kept getting pushed off until it was really in a desperate state...) and anyways, once I started I couldn't just stop, but what to do now? One neighbor of mine goes to the barber, so they don't have a machine, and another one told me that hers is broken. So I grabbed Naftali, and ran to ask another neighbor (of course they DO have one but the parents were sleeping....)
Anyway, I ran back home, and figured that we'd first eat supper, and then hopefully I'd find a way to finish up his hair.
Well, as soon as I came back, I had a feeling something wasn't right- it was just TOO QUIET! (Mind you, I was gone for all of 2 minutes?) Well, I ran upstairs, and found Yisrael and Bruria giving Azriel Shraga a haircut! B"H it wasn't nearly as bad as the last haircut Bruria did- they only managed to cut off a few curls...and his hair is messy enough that you don't really notice that anything is missing! (but if you're not supposed to cut a boy's hair until he's 3, does the fact that you can't notice make it OK?! I'm not really too worried!)
I gave the kids supper, and meanwhile my other neighbor came home, and lent me her machine. So now, B"H, Yisrael has a nice haircut (except that he won't let me trim his peyos, because he wants them to be long, like his Chassidishe teacher!)
Anyway, I ran back home, and figured that we'd first eat supper, and then hopefully I'd find a way to finish up his hair.
Well, as soon as I came back, I had a feeling something wasn't right- it was just TOO QUIET! (Mind you, I was gone for all of 2 minutes?) Well, I ran upstairs, and found Yisrael and Bruria giving Azriel Shraga a haircut! B"H it wasn't nearly as bad as the last haircut Bruria did- they only managed to cut off a few curls...and his hair is messy enough that you don't really notice that anything is missing! (but if you're not supposed to cut a boy's hair until he's 3, does the fact that you can't notice make it OK?! I'm not really too worried!)
I gave the kids supper, and meanwhile my other neighbor came home, and lent me her machine. So now, B"H, Yisrael has a nice haircut (except that he won't let me trim his peyos, because he wants them to be long, like his Chassidishe teacher!)
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