Spectacular View

Never in my life have I seen any natural phenomenon quite like the massive rushing water at Iguazu. When we arrived we were welcomed by swarms of the most breathtaking butterflies ever and an amazing aroma of freshness. I sound like a tide commercial. So we hiked, and took a little speed boat right next to the falls and got SOAKED. It was really spectacular.
As I am such a friendly guy, I even started chatting up some Israeli folks and some Mexican folks and right away we had formed a group of enthusiastic Jewish travelers from all around the world. I think the most amazing thing was the rainbows that literally followed us where ever we went. I was tempted to plunge into the water to search for the pot of gold but I then realized that the thousands and thousands of tons of water rushing from enormous cliffs would making diving into the river a BAAAAAD idea.

Moishe and Me

This one goes out to all my DC homies. Especially C $, who warms my heart with his DC nostalgia. As a semi-proud LA born Cali kid. I must second C money with his wise and weathered comments. LA surely has DC weather beat. I even hear its snowing in DC, and all I brought to LA (where I am now) is a sweater...I foresee a cold trek back from the metro to MHDC. I too miss MHDC. It is home, and oddly, I find that it is frequently the topic of my conversations. And yes, I showed my grandparents the video. I am looking forward to the next month of spring (stop snowing) and Moishe Events. Moishe has become a collective personality in our house...a virtual extra roommate if you will. Well, of all DC, I miss Moishe. Here is one for you. I can't wait to see you again. I almost forgot. Don't tell my girlfriend about us.

Where did Passover Go?

This is how you know Moishe House has taken on a life of its its own: each member of the house gets about a dozen inquiries as to whether or not the house is having a seder. It's as if we are so connected into the Jewish beat of the city that people assume all of their Jewish needs can be filled by us. Unofrtunately, sometimes during a seasonal adjustment in Jewish need, certain members of the house are craving California sun or missing their families or celebrating their grandfather's 80th birthday in New York. Turning so many people down was tough--we wished we could have had a seder--but it did make us feel Moishe House's success very deeply.

Gotta Run!

Adam in DC

Since leaving Los Angeles many years ago I've since romanticized it. This week I returned home for a break from DC, to visit the family and to celebrate Passover. LA was mostly how I remembered it - sunshine and smiles - but I found while I was in my self imposed exile that I missed Moishe House DC. I constantly checked the house email to see who was coming to Shabbat. I missed it - the house, the friends, whatever. We have something very special here, something we have built with our own hands - I look forward to the coming month.

P.S. LA has DC beat on weather and women though. And food too.

much love

Abu Musa aka C$

To Monsey and back

I went home to my very religious town - Monsey, NY. My family and I had two seders, both of which we were invited out. The first night we went until about 2:30am and the second night I wasn't in bed until about 4am. But despite the environment it was nice to see the family. Mandella once remarked that there is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways that you yourself have altered.

As of now it looks like Cornell or Michigan are going to be my top options. Unless I hear back with good scholarship offers from other schools. I'm sad that I'm going to be leaving Moishe house in August but I'm so glad to have the experience that I have had and I am committed to Moishe vision. I hope that once I'm doing with law school to continue with Moishe house in some way upon my return to the NY area. - J. Rothstein (Hoboken)

unemployment = liberation

In this season of celebrating our liberation, I quit my job! Yay! I highly recommend it. Especially while you live in a Moishe House. Thank you Moishe for supplying me the means and enabling me to liberate myself. I have been off for a month during which I went on a week long road trip, picked up guitar, started a chevrutah learning, helped plan and lead a seder, been swimming and biking, getting loads of sleep, and calling my friends and family more often. Ahhhhhhhh.

The only thing close to this feeling of liberation can be found while pool side at a hotel in Pheonix called the Pheonician. I highyl recommend it. Don't stay there, just show up one day in your bathing suit and head to the pool. Any day will do, since it is always hot as b*lls in Phoenix.

If Moishe were the 5th child at my seder, he would probably ask when we could finish the freagin' seder and get to the yum-yum.

Peace out, you free, beautiful Jews!

Non-Potential Fifth Sons

Somtimes in life it helps to answer a question by process of elimination. Since Levi raised a very interesting question (what the nature of a fifth son / child in the passover seder would be), I would like to try and apply this unique rhetorical tool to see if we can't narrow down the field just a bit.

Some hypothetical characters who are NOT likely to be drafted as the fifth son anytime soon:

the sneezy son
the gassy son
the chubby son
the identical twin son to one of the other kids
Jonathan Landesman (just kidding - we love you, Jon!)
the Italian son
the left-handed son
the kleptomaniacal son
the maniacal son
the setting sun
the betting son
the bed-wetting son
Son Yat Sen
Susan Saran-son
the very punctual son
the 1st born Egyptian son
the 4th son voted twice
the son who is simple, wicked, wise, and foolish all at once

Well, in conclusion, there's only one answer to this quandry. The fifth son is Moses. Why? Because Moses is awesome.