Hoping for a home run

October 2, 2009 - 10:57 AM by David · 1 Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, General, Life, Sports

red sox It’s October, and in Israel that means many things – lots of holidays for one, as we’re heading into Succot and building up to Simchat Torah next week.

But for some Israelis, October in Israel also means lack of sleep, and a reshaping of priorities. That’s because the Major League Baseball playoffs are here! And things like families and careers need to take a back seat for a while.

That’s because unlike the prime time atmosphere in which the games are actually taking place, here, they’re on TV beginning anywhere from 1 am to 4 am, which means they could end after the sun comes up. For baseball diehards, that means alot of bleary-eyed mornings, and angry remarks from employers and wives.

Of course, as a Boston Red Sox fan, there’s a silver lining to the inevitable sad ending to their 2009 season. My life takeover and sleep deprivation won’t probably last as long as fans of those teams who are likely to end up in championship series or the World Series. Take that, Yankees fans.

Still, I’ll be ready to root for the team that back ended into the playoffs, winning the wild card slot by losing six games in a row. As anybody who’s witnessed modern day Israel can attest, miracles still occur.

Share with others

Add 'Hoping for a home run' to Del.icio.us

Add 'Hoping for a home run' to Technorati

Add 'Hoping for a home run' to Stumble Upon

Tags: Boston Red Sox, Israel, Major League Baseball, october, Simchat Torah

Nostalgia Sunday – Simchat Torah flags

October 19, 2008 - 10:48 PM by Rachel Neiman · 3 Comments
Filed under: General, History and Culture, Holidays, Religion

It’s Jewish flag day! Well, not really. Tomorrow is the last night of Sukkot when we finish up reading the Torah for this year, and the people are readying to dance in the streets.

Simchat Torah children with flags

The tradition of children dancing with flag aloft, says Tel Aviv University historian Dr. Chaim Grossman, dates back to 17th century Ashkenaz, Eastern Europe’s pale of Jewish settlement. Unfortunately, he adds, no flags exist from that time, as these were made of delicate paper, then put in the hands of small children, and so were destroyed within hours (and not by Cossacks).

Simchat Torah flags - children dancing

In Israel, Simchat Torah is still one of those holidays were secular Jews turn up at the local neighborhood shul if only to gawk at the dancing revelers. This is particularly true of secular Jews with children who’ve made a flag in school, or purchased one at the dollar store. This one actually sells online for NIS 2.5, and even features an 3-D pop-open window, just like the old-fashioned ones

Simchat Torah dollar store flag

At times, Israel’s military might has been honored in flags:

Simchat Torah IDF flags

And here’s a particularly lovely one from the Seventies:

Simchat Torah flag - Moses & Aaron

Like its New Year’s counterpart the Shana Tova card, the Simchat Torah flag is one of those holiday items that isn’t written in any place – and likely were adopted from another culture – yet has become part of tradition.

Simchat Torah flags - traditional

In the US, at least in New England where I’m from, the Simchat Torah flag tradition has been conflated with the other autumn holidays and children top their flagpoles with candied apples. In Israel, flags often come with a small horn, though there is some question as to whether or not the kids are permitted to tootle on a holiday.

Links to previous posts: