Everything happens for a reason. A cultural commentary with a lotta rock-n-roll, semitism, and parenting. See our Etsy Shop! Buy HeadyBands, Hoodies and more at www.wholephamily.etsy.com
For all you fellow music-loving fans, NYE means only one thing: a great show of live music. Just seeing those three letters together in allcaps gets the salivating glands working. Before I got into the scene, New Year's Eve was nothing special. I'd watch the ball drop or go to a party. But when it turned into NYE I was hooked. No video does it justice but if you want a glimmer of a glimpse, see if you can gain some experience here: Most music shows would end it right there.. But after that huge display of fun and festivity there is a whole.other.set.of.music that gets played. What can I say? Phish is just beyond beyond beyond amazeballs. I love them. But it's actually a New Year's right now! It is the Hebrew date of the 20th of Kislev, and just yesterday was what was called Yud Tes Kislev (Yud tet), or the 19th of Kislev. It is marked as the New Year or birth of... Chassidus. Chassidic thought is said to been born on this date - released to the world that is -- in 1772. I might be confusing some things here, so I immediately direct you to read more about it at Chabad.org On that date is when the Baal Shem Tov (the founder of Chassidus...he went out and sang about being Jewish from a soulful place and was joyful and also travelled from town to town at a time when there was great poverty in the shtetls. He taught that just being Jewish is the essence and you need not be scholarly to be relavent and valid and make a difference in the world) 's disciple the Maggid of Mezritch (Rabbi DovBer) was, as they say "returned to his maker." 26 years later it is the same date when the founder of Chabad Chassidus, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, was freed from his imprisonment in Russia. So glad this is not a term paper. My writing needs some buffing and brushing. But you guys get my drift? It's a really big day. A holiday. A yomtov. My friend said she dressed her children up today in their fancy yomtov clothes. How fun. I went to a Fabrengen tonight for women. I learned that the time in between the 19th and 20th of Kislev is exactly when the most recent Lubavitcher Rebbe also did his fabrengen. Part of the connectivity here on a personal level is my birthday is at the end of Kislev as well as my wedding anniversary. It's a time when we are able to give each other blessings that hold lots of power and strength. So I bless you all that you should get everything you need in life. Kislev is the month of light. At a time when the month is darkest. Go to 9:27 here and you will see a great performance of the song Light. It is just so so so beautiful. I know you think if you're not a Phish person you don't get it. But this is just a gorgeous song. It's a teaching in and of itself. Who needs this blog when you have Phish lyrics?
Obstacles are stepping-stones That guide us to our goals Fences are filters That purify our souls It is Chanukah soon after all!!
The best antidote to pretty much anything is seeing the bright side of things. As you all know, I have taken a hiatus from this blog to focus on the commercial side of Whole Phamily. Gotta pay the bills, ya know?
We have sold many headybands over the past few months. Remember those?
For the Deadheads:
For the Cactusheads:
For the Fishmandonutheads:
Some toddler hoodies, too, that my sweetest most talented tween rager whips up in a jiffy.
And we have been working on our Fishman Donut kippot.
So when some folks on Instagram, when they saw the photo of samples for the kippot, had negative things to say about them, I insisted on keeping it positive. One person said "Stolen idea." Another said "damn guys...late to the party...this has been done." Even when I showed the haters the photo of my prototypes from last year, before their friend sold out their version of Phish kippot (which were the large satin temple-style yarmulkas) over Labor Day weekend, I was still received with negativity.
Social media can really bite!
Still, positive energy prevails. My styles are different, anyway. There is space for all types in this very small world. And my friends who I am selling the samples to are all very positive and think it's great what I have done.
My friend Josh (there are so many good Josh's out there) said just keep on doing what I am doing and ignore the haters.
I don't really think I will be venturing past the samples, anyway.
Life is too busy with other stuff.
Like catching up on all the Phish I missed. Lately I have been listening to shows from 1994.
This is a great watch
Admittedly, this is all pretty light stuff. I am so grateful for all that I have. I am blessed. Healthy children, bh, food on the table, and probably too much food at that, bills paid, bh, first time homeowners, we give tzedakah, all the basic life needs are taken care of, children have the blessing of Jewish day school and afterschools, college loans are paid off, we get to go out and do fun things together, we see live music, and life is good.
"Let your life proceed at its own design." This is a great idea, mantra, whatever you want to call it.
No, Phish did not say that. Remember, this is *not* just a Phish blog!
Rather than looking in the past and wishing things could have been different (like I should have gone to see the Dead in 1988 and Phish in 1989 when I saw kids wearing their t-shirts in my high school parking lot, or back in 1996 when I kept thinking I should have gone to yeshiva high school), just live in the present and enjoy what you have.
Everyone has their own journey. We all come to things when we're ready for them. I believe that everything happens for a reason. There is a grand master plan for each of us in our own lives. We can create our present and plan for the future. But regretting what we did or didn't do in the past isn't really all that helpful. That's part of staying positive.
Your comments and replies are welcome. Part of the reason I am not here so often is I don't hear back from many of you. Also, because I gotta earn some bucks with my heady merch.
First and foremost: We are now selling the original HeadyBand. $15 plus shipping. Buy yours now from our Etsy shop! There's even a coupon code for 10% off down below. Gotta keep reading!
Many of my readers asked what happened to my blog. Gone, poof. No more Loony on Whole Phamily. It is true I left no message here regarding my whereabouts, and for that I apologize. However, most of my readers are people I actually know. So, I have had the good fortune of being able, IRL (that's "in real life" for most of the senior citizens reading, however that likely excludes my mother's friend Rachel and my mother in law who are both impressively Internet-savvy and both of whom I think read my blog), to tell you I am alive and well and selling my wares online. At long last, here is the official announcement on the blog.
Last fall I shifted my energies towards the commercial side of Whole Phamily. Together with Concealed Light, I opened our Etsy shop, where we have made a bunch of sales. We started our Instagram presence, where we are proud to have 1,585 followers to date. This is a modest beginning, but it's a start.
While I love writing this blog, I also wanted to earn money while contributing to the music community that I love so much. This blog didn't fill that need.
I already sometimes wore headbands at the gym to keep the wispy hairs out of the way. I owned a 1970s-style Phish terry headband, but my friend Stef said I could not under any circumstance wear that to the gym. Sure, Phil Lesh, the bass player of the Grateful Dead, could pull it off in the 80s, but not a busy mama striving for even a small semblance of contemporary fashion-fowardness.
HeadyBands are moisture-wicking headbands in patterns that fans of this music know and love. I wanted to wear my pride for this subculture at the gym, but not on a t-shirt.
I know. I know. It's a great name. Thanks for the compliment. The whole shebang isn't copyrighted or trademarked. So Sue Me! Yes, I understand the importance of Intellectual Property. Some of my favorite former clients are Intellectual Property attorneys. Catch my drift?
The name of what this is - pretty good. But you think I am actually gonna break the bank with this idea? Kein yeHi Ratzon, as the pious Jews pray. May it be your Will, oh G-d and G-d of my foremothers and forefathers, that these HeadyBands should touch the lives of every single soul who needs them, that they bring much mazal, parnasa, segulah and "all good things in all good time"!
And even though I write a lot of Jewish/Hebrew stuff there, HeadyBands are meant for the masses. This is just my frame of reference: the Jewish thing. So, if you, dear reader, were lost with those Hebrew phrases, fear not. It's all good.
Did you want to hear more about the HeadyBand? Ok!
Since I live a committed Jewish life, some people think that HeadyBands are intended for the observant Jewish woman in the Orthodox style. If you want to think that, be my guest. I was actually inspired by the hippy chicks who love wearing bandanas and headbands at shows. But it would certainly work well with a fall (a half-head wig). Attention heady frum mamas (a very small subset of the observant Jewish world): these headybands are for you!
We're not just about HeadyBands, either.
On our Etsy shop, Concealed Light is making and selling hoodies in similar patterns, as well as in patterns of matryushka dolls and rainbows. At 11 years old, she is a skilled sewer and I am so proud to partner with her. I commend this bright shining tween on all of her hard work. Expect to see absolutely incredible things from her as she grows. We have sold quite a few hoodies for the babies and toddlers in this sphere. Great job, my sweet, talented, skilled, bright firstborn child! (it's my blog and I can give her praise here if I want!)
Whole Phamily infant and toddler hoodies are $25 plus shipping.
In case you haven't heard, the Grateful Dead is performing their very last shows together this summer, their 50th anniversary. Jerry Garcia is long gone in the physical world, but his soul is long remembered . The songs that he and Robert Hunter wrote were truly built to last. Pete Shapiro is a modern-day Bill Graham (both Jewish men, I might add) and promoting these shows in Santa Clara, CA and Chicago. They even got Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio to play the "Jerry part." Not too shabby in my mind.
I believe in conPHergence, unity, setting aside differences and just listening to the good music. Because both the Dead and Phish produce(d) great great great music.
And I am so so so grateful to have been turned on to this music and the scene. I connect to its nuggets of goodness, light, and joy. Like so many others who have come before me, I find deep meaning in the music, lyrics, and greater community.
So, it's a big year for Deadheads. Fare Thee Well, as it were. And I'm not missing the bus stop this time.
A big year for getting out the good products.
And the good product is The HeadyBand!
It took me a while, but I feel truly blessed to have tuned in and turned on. In this regard, I am actually talking about the music of the Dead and Phish (yes, blasphemy to say in one breath according to some!) as well as my rich ancient heritage which is as alive and relevant as ever. My wish is for these worlds to continue to thrive in a positive way to make the world a better place. And rather than dropping out, I will hope to continue to connect and at least try to walk the walk of society. Because being part of community is important.
You've got the Do Rey I've got the Me.
Try throwing that one around a board room table at Goldman Sachs.
Then again, who am I to say it hasn't been done by an erudite, educated, of-the-people chassid in the past.
I feel fortunate that I came up with the HeadyBand, and hope that you'll wish us luck, spread the word, and, heck, even buy one or two from us. I would rather sell out before I hit the Windy City, though it will be fun to push our wares on the streets when we get there. Chicago is going to be overrun with Deadheads. It will be FUN FUN FUN!
If you've read thus far, in our Etsy shop, use the Code RambleOnLoony at checkout for 10% off your total purchase. Thanks in advance for your support!
It's been a great week at my children's school book fair. I am co-chairing it with fellow mom and friend Shira. It is a first in a long time for their school. BH sales have been great and parent volunteers have been generous with their time.
But it is many hours to co-chair an event like this. I don't know how serial non-profit volunteers do it!
Like I told my friend Tova today: the book fair did well and so did my babysitter.
Phish played the song "Walfredo" the other night, a very rare occurrence from their repetoire, at the Bill Graham Auditorium in San Francisco. It was played based on a fan request. It was played in honor of the memory of phan Adam Berger, who passed away earlier this year.
Is it simply coincidence that they played this tune on the date 10/27?
I doubt highly that any of this was planned.
But I like to think that it's all there for a reason.
Do I think Trey was all like, "let's do Loony a favor and get all whack and play this song as a tribute to a dedicated fallen fan on her favorite number day."
Nah.
I didn't know Adam Berger but his blog is called Walfredo. Clearly he was a huge phan. He loved Walfredo. And Phish, probably the best musical outfit out there today, played it. In San Francisco, the town where he lived for many years. May his memory be a blessing.
And thanks NYCJAMGAL for posting this nice video of the historic happening.
Back to 127...
Despite them not playing in Israel on 12/8 a few years ago (if you read my lengthy post you'll see originally it was to be 12/7, but couldn't be due to various reasons), I keep the dream alive....
#ifyouwillititisnodreamtour
Which is way too long of a hashtag.
That's why ya gotta #hashtagitbagit
But a girl can still dream, right?
Whoa whoa whoa whoa, before you get all, Loony is whack, Phish ain't gonna do no show in Israel, let me alert you to what Jambase reported on this show in the 2nd set, and I quote: "Trey introducted on Fishman as Moses, "here to take you across the Red Sea for "I Didn't Know."
Some may call that Comic Relief, I call it, coming all together. It's just that people don't know it, yet it's *right in front of their eyes!" People may laugh at this idea, but I know that the Nunever won't when he reads this. And that Zaney Laney is on board if she would only read this darn long blog. And of course my dear husband who supports all of my efforts. Do I need anything more? Oh, wait, yeah, I need the guys to decide that it's time to take the living fish into the land "Vayidgu l'rov," but as I'm not a bible thumper, but could possibly be perceived as such, I don't know how that would fly in the greater world, ya know?
And, no, Ariela, (and all my awesome smart friends who like to read this but can't follow the Phish stuff and I don't hold that against them but indeed they're still missing out on tremendous music) this isn't a Phish blog, haven't I said that all along?
Yay for purple girls and little ragers and glitter and sparkly friends and hoopers and curlicues and laughs and soul sisters and birth sisters and bobos and hello kitty and cleaning help and gel manicures and kind veggie burritos and my sweet kinderlach and the moon and for meeting a dude named Stango.
We have the great Icculus to thank for recording the story that talks about this land.
Apparently the land is in danger, if you take this sticker I purchased a few years ago at all seriously.
And today the Prince of Music (that's Levi to the layman) joins the cause with his Fly Famous Mockingbird shirt.
You may think it's Adar with my silliness, but it's Elul and it's time to get out into the field because there is where science, philosophy and religion sits right in front of us as one.
I personally can't see it, so maybe it's time to read the book.
An intimate concert leading up to Rosh HaShana with quality people, holy words and tunes of inspiration. What more could we ask for on a Monday night?
The very special Shlomo Katz visited our neighborhood tonight with Pey Dalid as his last stop in America on the way back to Israel. He shared songs and stories. He gave over melodies (niggunim) from R' Shlomo Carlebach. He brought down words of Torah in the name of the Alter Rebbe, Rav Weinberger, the Izhbitzer Rebbe and more.
Thank you Lisa and Michael Wachs for opening your home and bringing Shlomo to town. Thanks also to Ben Weitz Photography for allowing WholePhamily to post your photos of this special evening. Not only is Shlomo musically talented, but he is good friends with our very good friends (all former Bronx residents). So there is no more apt place than to share what we enjoyed tonight than on WholePhamily. We are all connected.
Ganse mishpucha mamish!
Shlomo talked about the idea of repentence - tshuva, the theme of the month of Elul leading up to Rosh haShana which is in just a couple of weeks.
He said that the Alter Rebbe said that choosing to have compassion on your own soul (neshama) is the first step towards tshuva.
Shlomo then talked about his own rebbe - Reb Shlomo Carlebach. He said in his name that Reb Shlomo gave over a Torah in the name of the Izhbitzer (yeah, a lot of giving props there). All year I am fixing the things that I did wrong, but in Elul I am doing tshuva for all the things I did right but I could have done so much better.
He continued on the idea that I'm already keeping shabbat, I'm already eating kosher food, I'm already sending my children to Jewish schools. But the idea is that you could be even more plugged in and going deeper and doing things with more meaning.
This is the idea of "Bina" which has the same gematria (Hebrew letter numerical equivalent: Jewish numerology) as the name of this month : Elul.
Shlomo said that this gematria is 67, and my add is ...1967 was an important year in our history. This was the summer of love, the summer of be-ins, psychedelia, and the birth of the modern day hippy. This connection is so relevant because, ultimately, Shlomo Katz was playing inside a room of many Jewish hippies, both young and old.
The dream of the 60s is alive and well.
Well, a little more polished, and the free love thing didn't really work out, but the ethos is here.
Well, at least the music is, and really the music is what is at the core.
He then continued with some Torah from Rav Kook. When you have compassion for yourself and start doing tshuva you start to lose the fear of death. Rav Kook also stated once that he is Rebbe Nachman. Pshhhhhhhh. What is THAT all about???
Last but not least is a short video I took.
Shlomo said he felt totally welcomed and at home at the Wachs family home.
I couldn't agree more!
Feeling pretty grateful that this happened, that Stango was able to make it after a long day hard at work, that I met some lovely people and saw some friends from the hood, and that I made the effort to slap it all here on to this corner of the Internet.
If you ever were curious about what Phish couch tour looked like, look no further.
Oh. Waitwaitwaitwaitwait.
(so embarrassed I'm such a silly one I put 7/3/14 and not 8/3/14 not like anyone is gonna actually search for that video, right? or notice my mistake in dates? Not like this is going into any database, PHEW!!!)
Do you know what couch tour means?
Sorry again I apologize.
This isn't a Phish blog.
me and Trey Anastasio on couch tour (photo taken 8/3/14)
My favorite band is so generous to Live webcast their shows. Usually you have to pay. Sometimes we buy the shows and watch. Tonight is the last night of their summer tour. Unofficially called Deep South Tour. Or at least that was the poster Mike was holding earlier tonight. (sorry, can't find the pic someone tweeted of it...yeah I know dems da breaks).
Anyhoo it's a free show tonight. Not live music but I know what some of you fellow landsman and women are thinking. That's ok, everyone's entitled to their thoughts. I'm entitled to my actions. Let's leave it at that.
So incredible that their last show of the Summer Tour is in Alpharetta, GA. As we know this is where Rashi Mincowicz z'l may her memory be a blessing, ran her highly successful Chabad house. Let's think this show is for her. Even though I doubt the musicians know her story.
"Can I have meatballs," the Wolfman's Brother said just now. "It smells so good," he continued as the smells of Shabbat are wafting through our house.
So happy for our cozy home.
So sad for the news from Israel today.
Some of you may have heard of this, but over 2,000 women are Lighting Shabbat Candles for Israel tonight. Specifically have in mind 23 year old Hadar Goldin from Kfar Saba who was abducted today.
His name is Hadar ben Hedva Leah.
Go ahead please write down his name or print this page.
Have him in mind.
(The name hedva appears in the traditional wedding blessings and is often sung out loud "gila, rina, ditza v'hedva, ahava, achva, shalom v'reut")
May Hadar, a Givati soldier, get home safely and may he have a Shabbat shalom.
Let's hope that one day the smell of Shabbat and even just maybe the good tunes unite us all.
As is well known, the
name given to a weekly Torah portion reveals its major theme and this week’s parsha, Masey, is
quite a trip.
Masey are journeys – and
this week the Torah details the journeys of the Children of Israel "bnei yisrael" during their 40 years of wandering in the desert after the
exodus from Egypt.
אלה מסעי בני
ישראל אשר יצאו מארץ מצרים לצבאותם ביד משה ואהרון
I
would like to show some parallels between our own people’s journey - a people that pursues truth and light, a marginalized
people that perseveres and succeeds despite small numbers - and other journeys
of modern-day wandering tribes who also seek truth and light.
There is no research and
few data to support my claims, but these tribes feature a very high ratio of
Jews. This group of people embodies an energy
that should be harnessed to bring positive change to the world just as The Children of Israel has done since its formation. These
are the people who are the dedicated and devoted live-music fans of a slew of exploratory
bands known as “jambands.” Having just
seen my favorite jamband play 2 nights in a row right here, live in
Philadelphia, my thoughts on the convergence of Torah and jamband music are
still fresh.
The beginning of the
Torah portion "parsha" lists a litany of locations – venues, as it were. These are the stops on
the tour out of exile. As the verses, "psukim," say:
“vayisu……..vayachanu…..
vayisu, vayachanu…….”
The portion repeats this
cadence of "vayisu," they left, and "vayachanu," they camped, for each of the numerous
locations. Some sound familiar, some less so, places like Rimmon Peretz,
Terach, Chashmonah, The Western Plains of Moav.
This is how we wandered through the desert for 40 years – from one place
to another, always temporary, always seeking out the next place until we were
ready to enter our promised land.
Similarly, fans of Phish
and other jambands, and back in the day, the Grateful Dead, follow their
favorite musicians to numerous locations. Some sound familiar, like Madison
Square Garden and The Mann Music Center, and some less so, like Bill Graham Civic
Auditorium, Deer Creek, The Mothership, The Gorge, and more. While there are many fans, like myself, who
are married with children and live relatively rooted lives, others follow their
favorite bands perhaps for a week or a whole tour. Some in the scene look like they have been
wandering for even more than forty years!
The crews pick up and
leave to reach the next venue, and camp out for at least a while in the parking
lot and tailgate. They are always looking
for the next location, the next venue, the next show, following the good vibes.
Before I get to my point,
I acknowledge some disconnects. These
disconnects include that between Jews on tour and Jews not on tour / "on the bus" (which I
imagine is most of the Jewish
community). There is a disconnect
between Jews on tour who are connected to traditional Judaism (aka "yiddishkeit" which includes me,
a few friends, my husband) and Jews on tour not as connected to our traditions (which
includes many friends and would-be friends, wonderful people who live for the
live music yet rarely if ever light Shabbat candles, prefer things like pagan gatherings,
have xmas trees, marry non Jews, or otherwise shirk anything that seems too “Jewish”). Of course, this overly simplifies things are there are many shades of gray in between.
Shortly after the Torah portion details the list of locations, it takes us to a higher level
והורשתם את הארץ וישבתם בה כי לכם נתתי את הארץ לרשת אתה
Clear
out the land and live in it, since it is to you that I am giving the land to
occupy.
Then we learn that the
land is distributed to the families by a lottery system,
והתנחלתם את הארץ בגורל
Similarly, to score the
insider’s jamband tickets, one enters a lottery months before tickets are made
available to the public through traditional outlets. In this way, tickets are distributed to the various
different inner networks of friends and families, often overlapping circles,
that are so dedicated to their bands.
I’m not the first one to
try to connect these seeming disconnects.
From 1968-1972 Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach ran the House of Love and Prayer in
San Francisco with this in mind. Many
since and many still are on tour with their service to Gd "avodat hashem." My own experiences at shows are enriched and enhanced
by my traditional Jewish vantage point.
At the same time, there have been countless fellow Jews I have chatted
with at shows who claim they aren’t religious and say things like, “being at a
show is my church,” and yet this is
their most intensely spiritual experience. Like myself, people go to shows to leave life behind for a while and have a taste of what it feels like to be 17 or 21 or otherwise carefree again. Yet they are striving to see through the light (lines). Indeed, there is a lot of fog that surrounds. The way I see it, light is most illuminated through Shabbat, beginning with Shabbat candles and ending with Havdallah. Personally I can't see how Shabbat candles can glow brightly at the stage of a live music show, but to each her own. Lighting candles far away from a festival stage, however, in one's tent, cabin, hotel room etc, has its own merit. I must add that no mention of Shabbat candles in our generation is complete without gratitude towards the work of the Lubavitcher Rebbe who initiated a widely succesful campaign to encourage Jewish women and children to light Shabbat candles. I acknowledge the challenge presented in bringing in the light from both worlds - the Jewish and the jamband. A most memorable Havdallah at a jamband festival did exactly this a few years ago. Amidst the beautiful music, a small group of us who connect to both these worlds brought down the light of Havdallah. And yet all the while my friend's crew who was elsewhere on the festival grounds was texting her to return to them, perhaps not realizing the goodness that was happening in our family tent area. The push and pull tension of both worlds are real, and yet we can harness the best of each. But where is the journey taking us?
אלה מסעי בני ישראל אשר יצאו מארץ מצרים לצבאותם
לצבאותם
We left exile in organized groups, in tribes, as crews, and we need to connect the dots, bring together our collective energies and fulfill our mission, arrive at our destination. When we do this we will all make it to the ultimate show and will merit the ultimate encore. Then we will be picked up and leave: Vayisu And we will be taken on the wings of eagles: V'Yachanu And all of us wandering tribes will camp out together in our land forever. Theodore Herzl famously said, "If you will it, it is no dream." Especially in these heady times of unrest in Israel, we need to hold onto this modern-day expression of our Gd-given promised land. And of a time when all will be good. The light will be bright. The music will ulnite. We will all be kind. We will be redeemed. The jam will be epic. GOOD SHABBAS! SHABBAT SHALOM!
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