[NHC] Bits

[magid]

The highlights edition:

• a roommate who turned into a friend (*wave*)
  
• 2 hevrutah sessions, looking at some prayers (Kol Nidray and the beginning of the amidah)
  
• 1.75 hats crocheted
  
• far too many potatoes eaten (and far too little movement, alas)
  
• time with lots of friends (new and old)
  
• new-to-me books, and library books read
  
• kilt and hat appreciation
  
• a talent show featuring: little kids singing the hokey pokey with body parts in Yiddish, Lauren's aria, and Sidney's stand-up, among other things
  
• a bamboo utensil set
  
• some impressive poetry recited
  
• My morning class was on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, by someone who just finished publishing a new machzor. Unfortunately, most of the class was interested in other things than I was, and the teacher was a bit too fascinated with his own machzor (which has its points, but changes I didn't appreciate). Basically, I learned some small historical stuff, but was mostly glad to have crocheting with me.
  
  My afternoon class was on lifnei iver, taught by Micha'el Rosenberg (who I still think of as Mikey), starting with an exercise discussing the boundaries between responsibility and autonomy, then following through the texts, starting with the Biblical source and Biblical commentaries which already expand from the literal interpretation of the verses, through medieval compilations of halacha, to modern responsa involving lifnei iver. Interestingly, depending on the opinion, it may or may not apply for a Jew to non-Jews, or if someone else can do the same thing, or if other conditions apply. In other words, no one takes it literally, but the halachic ramifications depend on the decisor.
  
  
• I went to six workshops.
  
  • Jews with Keyboards: Blogger's Panel (I admit, because the workshop on Jewish Geometry canceled), which was a discussion by the panelists of how they started blogging, and why, and what they enjoy about it. Fun, but nothing particularly new, other than seeing others' sites, which was cool.
    
  • History of Yom Tov Sheini (Ben Dreyfus), discussing the difference among the second day of Rosh Hashana, rosh chodesh, and yom tov, going back to the system of declaring the new month in the time that it relied on testimony, rather than a fixed calendar. Originally the signal was sent by signal fires (bonus points for including a clip from Lord of the Rings), but that changed to riders after heretics messed with them. Basically, the only holiday that is on the first day of the month (possibly) is Rosh Hashana, and riders will get to most places in Israel by the time the rest of the holidays happen.
    
  • Mincha in the New World Spanish and Portuguese Style (Jonah Steinberg) included a discussion of how traditional Spanish and Portuguese shuls are set up physically, and how the traditions are different. We used a photocopy of mincha, then discussed how it was different from Ashkenazi nusach and feel.
    
  • Kadosh! Kadosh! Kadosh? (Martin Manley) was a discussion on the idea of kedusha, whatever that is, based on too many sources. This never quite jelled for me.
    
  • Commanded to Stay: Why the Lubavitchers Stayed in Crown Heights Despite White Flight (Adam Gordon) included excerpts from a sicha by the Rebbe on yom tov in 1969 about how important it was to stay in Crown Heights, not to join the white flight as the scary non-whites arrived. Some of the language was far from complimentary. I hadn't thought about how not having shifted community might have let them fund so many shlichim not long afterward. Interesting stuff, and I think the most well attended of the sessions I went to.
    
  • Kiddushin by Document (Ben Dreyfus and Elizabeth Richman) was on Shabbat, a discussion of how they set up their marriage to have kiddushin by document rather than by money, as is more usual. We reviewed sources on using shtarot for kiddushin, which is definitely legal, though usually kiddushin is unidirectional. And they shared what they used, which was carefully set up in parallel (unidirectional) documents to take effect at the same time, such that neither is in force if one is not.
  
  

Reminders for next year: bring a clip-on lamp and a timer. Also consider bringing the bike.

Comments

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

It's always interesting to read about the sessions you attended. Thanks!

[magid.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked it!

As always with this sort of thing, I was torn about going into greater detail (with actually citing sources and such) v. actually finishing a post (Er, see last year's not-posts on my classes...). So this year I went for quick and dirty, better than nothing :-)

[bercilakslady.livejournal.com]

*waves back*

I spent last night putting fruit in vodka. :)

[magid.livejournal.com]

Oh, which kinds of fruit?

[bercilakslady.livejournal.com]

I have some Rainier cherries in vodka and some in rum, strawberries in vodka and some in mead, apricots in vodka, and blueberries in vodka.

I went a bit nuts, but I realized that the fruit I got at the farmers market had been picked when they were just perfectly ripe, and by the time I finished eating it all, some would have gone bad. So after a bit of feasting, it was alcohol to the rescue, clearly.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a lovely assortment.

[magid.livejournal.com]

PS. I wonder how the mead one will turn out (I'm thinking mead would be good with apples...).

And I wonder how slivered nuts would add to these, too.

[bercilakslady.livejournal.com]

I'm using a sweet mead, and tested the combination before I bottled. I think it will turn out nicely, though I'm a bit concerned that the mead will continue to ferment with the addition of water and sugar in the strawberries. Traditionally, you put fruit in the second fermentation of a mead to make a melomel, and then as it settles, you rack off until it's clear enough to bottle.

Nuts are intriguing. Maybe slivered almonds with the cherry or apricot? I left the seeds in the cherry, as I heard they add a lot of flavor.

[magid.livejournal.com]

I don't know much about mead; I look forward to hearing how your experiment comes out.

I always have pitted my fruit, on the theory that the pits add flavor, but I'm lazy, and I'd rather have my boozy fruit ready to use :-)

[twostepsfwd.livejournal.com]

i felt a little sad to not be there this year. might be a place we could go with the boy next year if he's still with us, because i feel like he could participate in the kids' programmings despite not being jewish since NHC is so serious about inclusion.

[magid.livejournal.com]

This year I know there was a class in kids camp, btw. I think that it's a pretty good place for inclusion, and by next year, the boy will be a lot more familiar with Jewish stuff (so it won't be strange if there's some Jewish content). And it would be great to see you :-)