Shabbos In The Sukkah!

This week is parsha Chol HaMoed Sukkos.

We will be having Shabbos dinner in our Sukkah, and it is perfect weather for the evening. Love fall and winter!

The last few weeks have been chock full of yom tovim, and Shabbos always comes when you need a break most.

Good shabbos, and yom tov.

I gotta say...

Here I am breaking one of my own rules, but I feel compelled to say something.

One of my big rules is discussing politics. It is something that people should never discuss with each other unless they are in complete agreement.

Like during football season my husband and I cannot watch it together. He is from Texas, and therefore a devout Dallas Cowboy fan. Me on the other hand am a Washington Redskin fan because of being in Virginia. See the problem? Luckily, my husband and I see eye to eye on politics.

This years presidential election is one that is a real bone of contention with most people. Tonight though I read and saw something on WorldNetDaily.com that completely, and totally terrifies me.

ELECTION 2008
Farrakhan on Obama: 'The Messiah is absolutely speaking'
'Barack has captured the youth,' will bring about 'universal change'

There is a complete article, but the video posted with it is the cherry on top of my nightmare. Whether you are an Obama supporter or not, you have to see how frightening this is.

Louis Farrakhan is a hate monger who incites racial, and religious discourse. In particular he has a dislike for the Jews. Barack Obama has affiliations with 2 people who dislike Jews and whites. Louis Farrakhan and Reverend Wright. We won't even go into William Ayres right now.

With some of the things being revealed about the friends of Barak Obama it seems to me there are too many unknowns about this man to have him elected. Especially being Jewish and white.

Are you scared? I seriously am, and had to say.

Excercise in Futility

This weeks' portion is a song, a poem that Moses teaches to the Jewish people. It retells the story of the 40 years in the desert, and all its trials and tribulations. Part of the lesson was learning the futility of rebelling against Hashem.

The portion then ends with Moshe being told to ascend Mount Nevo to see the Promised Land before he dies, and is gathered to his people.

Learning that all things are in the hands of the Almighty is one of the most difficult lessons in life to learn. For everyone. But I will tell you this...life is a LOT less stressful when you realize Hashem is indeed in control. In fact I would say I have gotten less gray hair in the last few years figuring that out.

Good Shabbos!

This weeks' parsha is Ha'azinu.

October is...

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Anyone who has read here in the past most likely knows I am passionate about informing people about breast cancer awareness.


Some background, and some facts:

This year in America, more than 211,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at the rate of 1 every 3 minutes, and 43,300 will die. One woman in eight either has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. However, this is not only a disease that affects women. In the U.S. a1one 600 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and 400 will die this year. If breast cancer is detected early, the five year survival rate exceeds 95%. Self breast exams and mammograms are among the best early detection methods, yet 13 million U.S. women 40 years of age or older have never had a mammogram.

What does all of this mean? It means for myself and many others breast cancer either is already or will become personal, this year. For me it has started already with the loss of my Mother on April 1, 2005, as well as my maternal Grandmother June 20, 2003. The reality for me also means that my sister's and myself have an increased risk of breast cancer 5 fold that of the average person due to our family history, being of Ashkenazic decent and just the fact we are women.

So I wanted to pass along some great links for information.
Help Give Free Mammograms by clicking
Get BC Facts
ACS Informs
How to do a self breast exam

For more information just do a search. I don't link to specific fundraising sites because that could take to infinity, and beyond. However, giving is always needed for researching a cure. So find an organization that you believe in, and donate.

Lastly, please schedule your mammograms.

So Close You Can See It

How many times in your life have you worked so hard for something to have it come within your reach, and miss it by seconds? The feelings you have for all your work, time and effort only to miss the brass ring.

So imagine someone who has made a 40 year effort toward a goal, only to be told that you will not be able to have the one thing you yearn for. This is what happened to Moses.

It's the 7th day of Adar, 2488, the last day of Moshe's life. Exactly 120 years earlier the world was graced with the birth of a child who brought redemption to his people and the light of Torah to the world. He became a prophet of unparalleled greatness who led his nation through a miraculous 40 year journey to the edge of the promised land.

And we think we have it tough. We live in a world where everything is easy, and instantaneous. Moshe waited all his life to enter Jerusalem, only to learn he would die before setting foot in the Promised Land. Yet still, he continued to do the work of Hashem, and prepare the Jewish people for what lay ahead.

Today we are not strong enough to stand on our own. We need agencies, government, talking heads, newspapers, etc. to tell us what to do, where to go, what to think, how to live. Still we claim we are standing on our own. We're independent modern society of people who make our own choices. Yeah, right.

Our world would be so much better off if we lived by the example Moshe set.

• Don't be selfish
• Think of others before yourself
• Trust and love G-d
• Do what is right
• Have a love of self from knowing who you are, and where you are going.

This week is Shabbos Shuva, and the Parsha is Vayeilech.