I thought I had blogged about this in the past, but I cant seem to find the post.
we have good friends whom we met ten years ago at a Jewish event called a Shabbaton.
it takes place over the weekend, hence its title. Shabbat means Sabbath.
we were placed together at the same table because we fit.
I mean exactly what I said. we fit. there were ten seats at the table.
my family took up three, theirs took up seven. I cant recall if that was the entire family at the time or if any of their sons wasn't there. there were five of their children at the table and the parents.
they are the loveliest people and we lucked out by being seated with them.
we're not the best of friends, but I feel we're pretty close. esp. considering the fact that we are at opposite ends of the religious spectrum. they are extremely orthodox and we are extremely reformed.
anyway, since we've known them they have had at least three children, and one is due next week.
this will be their 11th child.
I know its none of my business and I feel the more Jews in this world the better, since there are so few of us. but 11!!!!!! I mean, ELEVEN!!!!!! oy. I can barely handle one.
life (motherhood?) has taken its toll on my friend. when I met her she was so pretty and sweet looking. she was 32 or 33 at the time. so now she's ten years older. still young though. but the last time I saw her, she didn't look too well. (actually, I just realized she must have been pregnant then because it was within the last six months. it was one of her sons bar mitzvah's. she didn't mention she was with child then. but Jews are superstitious about not telling too many people, thinking it might jinx things. I hardly told anyone until after my fifth month and only because I was showing.)
so right now, the ten kids are eight boys and two girls. just like a religious family (of any religion) to manage to have the boy to girl ratio four to one. why, oh why are females always subordinate to males. (and don't give me that line that the Jewish religion holds women up on a pedestal. I believe that's just a way to rationalize subordinating them.) all her boys were barmitzvahed. but girls don't get barmitvahed in the orthodox interpretation of the Jewish religion. they did recognize their oldest daughter by having a kind of bat mitzvah for her in the house recently. (no, I wasn't invited.) but that's not the same as the affair I went to for her son some months ago.
and why is it that every boy is reared just to learn about the religion. if I had eight boys, I would encourage one to be a doctor, one a lawyer, one an attorney, and so on. finally, parenthood paying off. I will elaborate on this another time. for now, I must sign off.
Today, MOTHER IS PENSIVE.
we have good friends whom we met ten years ago at a Jewish event called a Shabbaton.
it takes place over the weekend, hence its title. Shabbat means Sabbath.
we were placed together at the same table because we fit.
I mean exactly what I said. we fit. there were ten seats at the table.
my family took up three, theirs took up seven. I cant recall if that was the entire family at the time or if any of their sons wasn't there. there were five of their children at the table and the parents.
they are the loveliest people and we lucked out by being seated with them.
we're not the best of friends, but I feel we're pretty close. esp. considering the fact that we are at opposite ends of the religious spectrum. they are extremely orthodox and we are extremely reformed.
anyway, since we've known them they have had at least three children, and one is due next week.
this will be their 11th child.
I know its none of my business and I feel the more Jews in this world the better, since there are so few of us. but 11!!!!!! I mean, ELEVEN!!!!!! oy. I can barely handle one.
life (motherhood?) has taken its toll on my friend. when I met her she was so pretty and sweet looking. she was 32 or 33 at the time. so now she's ten years older. still young though. but the last time I saw her, she didn't look too well. (actually, I just realized she must have been pregnant then because it was within the last six months. it was one of her sons bar mitzvah's. she didn't mention she was with child then. but Jews are superstitious about not telling too many people, thinking it might jinx things. I hardly told anyone until after my fifth month and only because I was showing.)
so right now, the ten kids are eight boys and two girls. just like a religious family (of any religion) to manage to have the boy to girl ratio four to one. why, oh why are females always subordinate to males. (and don't give me that line that the Jewish religion holds women up on a pedestal. I believe that's just a way to rationalize subordinating them.) all her boys were barmitzvahed. but girls don't get barmitvahed in the orthodox interpretation of the Jewish religion. they did recognize their oldest daughter by having a kind of bat mitzvah for her in the house recently. (no, I wasn't invited.) but that's not the same as the affair I went to for her son some months ago.
and why is it that every boy is reared just to learn about the religion. if I had eight boys, I would encourage one to be a doctor, one a lawyer, one an attorney, and so on. finally, parenthood paying off. I will elaborate on this another time. for now, I must sign off.
Today, MOTHER IS PENSIVE.
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