Blues For Challah Setlist Recap

We're nearly done unpacking from Blues For Challah:  The Second Set, and what a weekend it was.  The Whole Phamily was so grateful to have the opportunity to provide social media services and onsite kids' programming to this weekend.  I hope that these efforts were successful.  Here are some highlights:

 Seth Rogovoy's presentation on Bob Dylan's link to Judaism was polished, well-delivered, and entertaining in its own right.  I wrote about Rogovoy's book earlier, but had no clue that his presentation would include live performance.  How happy was I when he confirmed my suspicions regarding the messianic theme of Quinn the Eskimo?!?   And even happier when I shared that Phish's rendition brings Quinn to a new level.





Meeting Michelle Esrick, the brainchild i.e. filmmaker behind the Wavy Gravy movie Saint Misbehavin', was a real treat.  We sat at the same table on Friday night and I was thrilled, since I am connected to challah baking, to be asked to explain the symbolism behind using two challot and salt at a shabbes table.  Her sister and I connected on mindfulness meditation.  I lamented I have yet to read Jon Kabet-Zinn's book on it that Stango gave to me already a few years ago.  Michelle's film was educational about Wavy Gravy's life and mission.  Because of the weekend's intimate setting, I couldn't have imagined a more perfect scene.  I loved that Concealed Light asked after the film's screening, "what's the big deal about Wavy Gravy?"  This film, therefore, opened the door for my 9 year old regarding the whys behind the 60s counterculture.  Sure, she knows we love Dylan and the Dead, and that we read plenty of books about MLK, Jr in February, but a two sentence explanation (end of Camelot, fight for Civil Rights, end of Baby Boom, the Beatles, Vietnam) was a good start.

Me and Michelle Esrick, producer/director of Saint Misbehavin'

Of course, I loved that Michelle expressed that her presence at this weekend was bashert and from Hashem (two terms she learned just this weekend).  Doesn't everything happen for a reason?  Hakol bashamayim hi.  (you can ask your rabbi what that one means).

Meeting Rabbi Moshe "Mickey" Shur finally was inspiring.  He grew up with Stango's close childhood friend's father.  We had long-heard of Berman's dad's hippy cum frum friend.  I was thrilled to see that, even though I didn't know him when he knew Wavy Gravy while living in San Francisco in the 60s, he maintained his open, loving, laid-back, funny, warm vibe that was clearly a product of those years.

Saturday night jam:  a bunch of participants brought out their guitars, drums and voices for a really fun homegrown Dead jam.  What an interesting mix of people.  The diversity of Jewish folks is captured in this brief video where we see Rabbi Moshe "Mickey" Shur's son on vocals (long payos dude).





Stango was most impressed by Arthur Kurtzweil's presentations on lyrics.  He was also the keynote speaker.  Stango liked that he got to the real truth on a high intellectual plane without fluff, pretense, or glamour.  That's my husband for ya.

I ran the kids groups for which I received positive feedback.  We made centerpiece tablescapes for the dining room tables with Duplos .  We acted out a play about the parsha with the parts of Yaakov, Eisav and Hashem.  We read the parsha story.  We visited the goats.  We ate fantastic snacks provided by Isabella Freedman.  We dressed up as turtles, pirates and creative play silk creatures.  We read books about being a young farmer.  We played Uno and Zingo.   We enjoyed Pez as a Shabbes treat which was cleared ahead of time with the program director (since I am sensitive to the healthy food vibe at Isabella Freedman; I am, after all, an advocate of drinking raw milk and eating fermented foods), though it wasn't for everyone.

photo from jkrglobal.com

Pez at a Dead show is just so much fun, so that was where I was going with that.  Or just a couple of Mike and Ike's.  But I don't know if the kids fully understood that this was very specific to being at a Dead show.  They likely just saw it as candy.

Here are some more photos and footage.

Stango and Concealed Light at Dead Jam

Stango and The Nunever.  Rodeo!  Note the lovely Gucci scarf.

these guys knew how to jam!  Another son of Rabbi Shur and Rabbi Jeff Hoffman

Concealed Light felt stifled that she couldn't read chords.  Clearly was too tired to improvise and jam, which I know she is capable of.

 And how is it that I always thought this was a Peter, Paul and Mary song?

 


What a success!  Hope to join again next year!

Whole Phamily Takes the Crew on the Road

In case you might have missed our most recent gig Camping with My Kids & a Whole Bunch of Jam Bands  last June, you all have a second chance to join up with the Whole Phamily crew in just a few weeks!

We are so thrilled to be a part of Blues for Challah:  The Second Set, a "weekend-long workshop exploring the spiritual and mystical aspects of the Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan," writes Seth Rogovoy on his Rogovoy Report.  Whole Phamily is heading up the programs for children on Friday night and Shabbat morning.

In case you were wondering, my friendly friends, this is a pluralistic event, welcome folks of all persuasions (but a love of the Grateful Dead is sorta the point...). You don't have to be Jewish, but it don't hurt to be, neither. And, in case you were wondering, my frum friend or relative (yep, Heshy, I'm talkin' to you), this is, indeed a shabbaton.  Just different than my 8th grade experience.   I have desired to attend an event at Isabella Freedman and its affiliate Elat Chayyim since the mid '90s, living as a single working woman on Upper West Side.  It is finally, baruch hashem, coming to fruition!  And on the cusp of mine and Stango's 11th wedding anniversary and right after my birthday, no less.  Someone is surely watching over us for the good.

 C'mon Children! Shabbat Fun for Kids

Pipe cleaner creations and a fun food craft are among just the many exciting things we have planned for kids of all ages.  Concealed Light, The Wolfman and the Wolfman's Brother will be there ready to have a whole lot of fun with all the kids.  We'll sing classic tot-shabbat tunes, do puppet shows and read stories.  We will talk about that week's torah portion, Vayishlach, in an interactive way and maybe even make up a skit about it!  Who knows, maybe kids will even get to borrow their very own Pez dispensers as a shabbat treat on Friday night.  Parents, just be chill with the food coloring, ok?  It's 12 tiny pieces of candy!  And if the goats are willing, maybe we'll take a walk over and say 'mehhhhh!  So much more can and will happen.  Anyone under the age of 21 who is shlepped along for this epic shabbaton is a lucky one and for sure should be grateful!

Stango will likely be found during those times in the shul, but off-the-record will be available for any brain-talk-walk therapy and of course discussion of chassidus and Jerry that folks might be interested in.

For more info, read what Seth Rogovoy wrote on his blog regarding the event.
(remember when I reviewed Rogovoy's book on Dylan?)

Or what Josh Fleet wrote in his Huffington Post coverage.

All-inclusive prices, which include farm-to-table food and wine and lodging, begin at $233 for the 2-night event.  EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION DISCOUNT EXTENDED UNTIL TODAY NOVEMBER 9, 2012!

For more info check out Blues for Challah:  Second Set.

Have a good Shabbes, have a good show!

My "Me" Book from 1979

I have the best mother.  She saved my 1st grade "Me" book all of these years.  And now it is in my ownership.  The book was a collaboration between my first grade teacher and my art teacher, Mrs. Hollinger.  Myrna Hollinger was a renegade art teacher.  She taught me that coloring books have no place in a child's life.  The facade of her house was covered in all sorts of buttons and pins.  At one point she sold her eclectic upscale jewelry at Neiman's or Barney's.  I last saw her when I was in college and worked at a gourmet food store, back in the nineties when they were still called gourmet food stores.  She bought a ficelle.

Always striving for less-is-more living, currently I am in purge mode (can you say 8 bags to the Junior League thrift shop last week?) so another object, though replete with nostalgia, is exactly what I don't need.

If I only did this for my own children...

I love this connecting of history...my own 5 year old, The Wolfman's Brother, with his mother's creation from 35 years ago

My memory of going to the movie theater with Rachel Rezak, a couple of friends, and her dad, is so sweet.  We went to Mario's for pizza afterwards and everyone was able to get half a can of soda.  You know what?  That's all a child really needs, if any.  But those were the days before we drank water, so I was likely thirsty from the pizza.  We didn't know any better.

The word daven was yet to enter my lexicon.

Gelt.  Now that is a good thing to give kids for Hanukkah gifts.

We used oil with the paint in water to create the paper on which the drawings were glued.

Makin' Challah, or, Challah Life with Jade

Remember that old SNL skit, "Makin' Copies?"

Well, this isn't that.

This morning I made challah.  It is one of the 3 special mitzvot dedicated especially for woman.  I most gratefully thank Leah Shemtov for teaching me, in conjunction with my own reading in the Spice and Spirit Cookbook (which phans so avidly refer to it as the "purple cookbook"  no joke), the specifics of how to carry out this very holy act which will bring great peace to one's own home and the world.

This is the dough at 8:08am this morning (see clock).  I mixed up the dough sometime in the middle of the night, around 2:40am perhaps.

This is the actual challah.  The word itself, challah, or in Hebrew lihafrish means "to separate."  So, this is the piece I pulled off of the main big batch.  Notice it is next to the big bowl in photo #1 as well.  This is just a close-up.

Next, you burn it to a crisp in remembrance of the destruction of the Holy Temple (Beit haMikdash) in Jerusalem.  It is a sign of being hopeful for the rebuilding of the 3rd Temple, a time of redemption.   I know this sounds very, very, very bizarro to the untrained ear and mind.  But I am starting to make more sense of this part of the holy act (that is, after all, one of the meanings behind the word mitzvah).  Just the fact that I have posted my challah making this morning tells me the time is closer.  We'll get there.

Unbaked, braided loaves

Paint with egg.  Thanks again to Leah Shemtov; this egg brush is a product of her most excellent program at the Chabad House of Stamford.   Notice also mama's last remaining purple nail polish from last week!  (mama being me, Loony)

Aw, sweet sweet boy. He is a yum-bun.
This, my phriends, is The Wolfman's Brother.  He is almost 4 1/2.  He is making a robot challah.

Said robot.  Pretty spacey, right?  Do you see the two eyes and the tentacles? Pretty out there and phunky!



And, ladies and gentleman, the Pièce de résistance...

Challah Life with Jade.  (sorta like Still Life With Apples?   Cézanne anyone?  Do you know that I *still* have never made it to the Getty, where said painting resides?  The Original Bandana Boy (in my own existence) lived right near there but at the time of our acquaintance it was either closed or we couldn't get tickets.)

In wanting to capture an artful look at my homemade challahs, I just "grabbed" (though it isn't nice to grab) one of Stango's jade plants on the windowsill.  But since nothing happens by chance and everything happens for a reason, I ask the Nunever to really think deep and hard at the fact that I just seemingly randomly took a Jade plant.  Indeed, I was in a rush as it is Friday morning and the last thing I should be doing is blogging about interconnectivity, blah blah blah.

It is weird, I texted Jade the other night after we saw her at the end of the NYE 12/31/11 show that I don't use Jade (I like using her real name but then again the name I call her by isn't her original anyway...and hey Nun, neither is yours!).  Ask her if I wrote something to that effect.

However, it seems apropos that I have a Jade plant and I do hope that Jade and the Nunever will make an appearance on the Whole Phamily scene because it pretty much seems like the stars are aligned.

No, I don't know much about astrology.  But I asked Schwee about it last shabbes.  He knows a lot, but women like Cute Indian Girl and PurpleGirl and other women out there know more.  I don't want to misrepresent him.  But he is a scientist and he believes in physics and formulas.  And yet, Schwee is pretty much out of this orbit.  PurpleGirl, do you remember at mine and Stango's wedding, the guys who were rapping the machetunim song?  Schwee is one of those dudes.  Really smart, really out there.  Really not intimidated by that stuff any more because we can all benefit.  I mean, the dude is an Argentinian (or I could sound highbrow and say Argentine) tango dancer!

Nunever.  Jade.  Like my Mid-century kitchen furniture?