The HAPPIEST event we have ever had took place this past Saturday: Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. My Cavaliers upset the Detroit Pistons for the 4th game in a row to clinch their FIRST EVER NBA Finals berth. All the pain I have gone through as a Cleveland Sports fan is 4 wins away from alleviation.
The next day was the SADDEST event we have had. I bought 10 tickets to a screening of the Devil Came on Horseback, an amazing documentary on the crisis in Darfur. It is playing for only 10 days at the Leammle Theater on Wilshire. We had recruited 12 people to come with us for the 10PM showing on Sunday knowing that, since this is an apathetic LA, 2 would flake. Well, 5 flaked. This I could get over. But when we sat down in the theater we discovered that there were less than 20 people there, including the 7 of us. A friend of mine had gone to see the film last Friday for the 6:15 showing and it was just as empty. How can it be that in a city so densely populated, with so much money to spend on philanthropy, no one cares to see this film? Even worse, in an area of that city that is so heavily concentrated with Jewish people, who are constantly reminded by their history to "never forget" the Holocaust and that genocide can happen again, no one would be bothered. Darfur doesn't effect them, so they will continue living their luxurious lives and driving around in their German cars. I wished we could have bought out the entire theater and filled it ourselves.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
From the looks of it summer is here
So I guess I will jump on the summertime blog band wagon. Here is the thing though. Summer in San Francisco means foggier mornings and very cool evenings with a chance of high winds and no sun all day. I mean don't get me wrong summer means so much more than the weather. My after school programs are about to end and as I wrap up the school year I am gitty with excitement for summer vacation.
Somehow I have finagled a full month off this July. As one of 15 Charlie Award recipients through the Schusterman Foundation, I will be in Jerusalem from July 9th to the 16th and in Israel for the whole month of July. If any of you have suggestions of places I should go or things I should do please email me. aagilbert@gmail.com I fear that my email might overflow, but I guess it is better to know of what to do and not do it than to never know. hmmmm?
When I have not been thinking about summer and Israel... which actually has been a lot of the time, I have been totally consumed by bikes. Do you like bikes? I love bikes. I built my first bike a few weeks ago, and I plan on modifying and fixing up more in the future. I will post some pictures of my bikes soon.
pedal power!
Aaron
Somehow I have finagled a full month off this July. As one of 15 Charlie Award recipients through the Schusterman Foundation, I will be in Jerusalem from July 9th to the 16th and in Israel for the whole month of July. If any of you have suggestions of places I should go or things I should do please email me. aagilbert@gmail.com I fear that my email might overflow, but I guess it is better to know of what to do and not do it than to never know. hmmmm?
When I have not been thinking about summer and Israel... which actually has been a lot of the time, I have been totally consumed by bikes. Do you like bikes? I love bikes. I built my first bike a few weeks ago, and I plan on modifying and fixing up more in the future. I will post some pictures of my bikes soon.
pedal power!
Aaron
Monday, June 4, 2007
Some housing justice
Ever heard of City Life/Vida Urbana? Nope? Well, then, pull up a chair, son, and learn yo'self some things.
MoHouse Boston has got a team of peeps interested in housing justice here in Boston. So we got ourselves together and went down to Jamaica Plain to meet with Steve Meacham, CLVU's organizing director. We bought some delicious falafel, met at the home of MoHouse regular and super-hottie Michelle Sternthal (third from the right in this picture), and started strategizing about work we can do to help preserve and expand affordable housing in Great Boston. We've even recruited an intern from the Workmen's Circle Teens Acting for Social Change group, and he's going to work for City Life and coordinate our efforts with them this summer.
Sweet.
Mostly, I just think it's cool that we've got this community with a whole mess of folks committed to social justice and really excited to learn new models of organizing. It's awesome that we've got people who are dedicated to growing the power of the working-class and who want to make a real difference in the larger community. And it's great that all these activists want to work together to achieve their political goals through the ever-expanding Moishe/Kavod community.
All of which is just to say, we'll keep rockin' if you will...
MoHouse Boston has got a team of peeps interested in housing justice here in Boston. So we got ourselves together and went down to Jamaica Plain to meet with Steve Meacham, CLVU's organizing director. We bought some delicious falafel, met at the home of MoHouse regular and super-hottie Michelle Sternthal (third from the right in this picture), and started strategizing about work we can do to help preserve and expand affordable housing in Great Boston. We've even recruited an intern from the Workmen's Circle Teens Acting for Social Change group, and he's going to work for City Life and coordinate our efforts with them this summer.
Sweet.
Mostly, I just think it's cool that we've got this community with a whole mess of folks committed to social justice and really excited to learn new models of organizing. It's awesome that we've got people who are dedicated to growing the power of the working-class and who want to make a real difference in the larger community. And it's great that all these activists want to work together to achieve their political goals through the ever-expanding Moishe/Kavod community.
All of which is just to say, we'll keep rockin' if you will...
Revelation, Moishe Style
In our biggest turnout ever, 250 folks came to our Tikkun Leil Shavuot, an all-night holiday event celebrating the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Our program was an extention of the Charles River Beit Midrash, our joint learning program with a few other minyan (prayer groups) in town. Instead of just having traditional text study the whole time - which we did have, we also had a hip hop and creative movement workshop, singing as a spiritual practice, meditation, Torah Improv, and a bunch of other cool programs.
Why did we include these in a night celebrating Torah study? Because the rabbis teach that the Torah was revealed to the Israelites in many different ways, each person hearing in the way that spoke personally to him or her. In our community, we know that people connect with Torah, Judaism, and God in different ways too. Some people are moved through music, some through movement, some through reading texts, some want different entry-points at different times. Instead of valuing one approach over another, we worked to have them all available and make everyone feel included, whatever their belief or practice.
The coolest part was, our volunteers did it all by themselves. The four of us weren't even there. I definitely went to my fair share of planning meetings, but really, this event was a testament to the power of leadership development and trust in volunteers. Go team!
Why did we include these in a night celebrating Torah study? Because the rabbis teach that the Torah was revealed to the Israelites in many different ways, each person hearing in the way that spoke personally to him or her. In our community, we know that people connect with Torah, Judaism, and God in different ways too. Some people are moved through music, some through movement, some through reading texts, some want different entry-points at different times. Instead of valuing one approach over another, we worked to have them all available and make everyone feel included, whatever their belief or practice.
The coolest part was, our volunteers did it all by themselves. The four of us weren't even there. I definitely went to my fair share of planning meetings, but really, this event was a testament to the power of leadership development and trust in volunteers. Go team!
Summertime and the livin is easy
You remember that scene in the movie "Friday" when Big Worm is trying to collect his money from Smokey? Well if you don't, you should go rent the movie, grab a friend and enjoy.
Otter pops, drumsticks, frozen root beer popsicles, sundaes with nuts and cherries and goliath piles of whipped cream, chocolate, m & m's, the list goes on and on and on.
What is it that we all love about the summertime? Is it Dave Persyko's mantra of less clothes=more fun, is it the nostalgic memories of summer camp we all fondly recall from not that long ago? Perhaps it is trips to the beach, to the mountains, to lakes, rivers, chillaxin by the pool or turning on some Sublime or Bizarre Ride to the Pharcyde and reminiscing about 1997.
Whatever it is that makes you happy about summertime, get out there and do it. Too much of our time is devoted to computers, meetings, phone calls, bills, doctor appointments, this engagement, that engagement. Enough of this already! It is Summertime and not only is the living easy, it should be easy.
For only a few months each year we find this natural, almost divine excuse to just not really care about much, other than soaking up sunshine with friends, napping away weekend afternoons, and always hopeful that the next road trip will come around sooner than later.
So when you look at your calendar next week and think to yourself, "I really don't want to go to work next Friday" or "There is no way I am going to be able to read all 150 pages by Thursday night", make the decision easy on yourself and simply don't do it. You deserve it! Nothing is going to happen in the Game of Life if you use a "Get out of Jail Card" once or twice or even three times this summer...
Enjoy those slurpees, the baseball games, long and warm nights in the backyard or in the park of your choice. I mean, come on, its summertime, get outside and don't be bummed if you miss a day here or there due to having way way too much fun....we'll be doing it in Berkeley and throughout the Bay Area all summer long.
Danny B in the East Bay of California
Otter pops, drumsticks, frozen root beer popsicles, sundaes with nuts and cherries and goliath piles of whipped cream, chocolate, m & m's, the list goes on and on and on.
What is it that we all love about the summertime? Is it Dave Persyko's mantra of less clothes=more fun, is it the nostalgic memories of summer camp we all fondly recall from not that long ago? Perhaps it is trips to the beach, to the mountains, to lakes, rivers, chillaxin by the pool or turning on some Sublime or Bizarre Ride to the Pharcyde and reminiscing about 1997.
Whatever it is that makes you happy about summertime, get out there and do it. Too much of our time is devoted to computers, meetings, phone calls, bills, doctor appointments, this engagement, that engagement. Enough of this already! It is Summertime and not only is the living easy, it should be easy.
For only a few months each year we find this natural, almost divine excuse to just not really care about much, other than soaking up sunshine with friends, napping away weekend afternoons, and always hopeful that the next road trip will come around sooner than later.
So when you look at your calendar next week and think to yourself, "I really don't want to go to work next Friday" or "There is no way I am going to be able to read all 150 pages by Thursday night", make the decision easy on yourself and simply don't do it. You deserve it! Nothing is going to happen in the Game of Life if you use a "Get out of Jail Card" once or twice or even three times this summer...
Enjoy those slurpees, the baseball games, long and warm nights in the backyard or in the park of your choice. I mean, come on, its summertime, get outside and don't be bummed if you miss a day here or there due to having way way too much fun....we'll be doing it in Berkeley and throughout the Bay Area all summer long.
Danny B in the East Bay of California
Summer, summer, summer-time!
Hey All!
(Can you ever go wrong lifting lyrics from DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince? Don't answer that.)
As June begins we choose to focus on the doors that are opening rather than the ones swinging shut. For those of us on a school year calendar this is a great period of transition and adjustment. For our house that means extended periods where our fellow roommates traveling the globe, and a more complex high-wire act of balancing our personal whims with the responsibilities of keeping a cohesive Moishe House summer event schedule.
More than any other time of the year, this is the time where our communication, understanding, and support are required the most. It is hard enough balancing a regular work week schedule, let alone an irregular summer schedule, where not only us but many of our regular program attendees will be "on the lamb" in one way or another. We must, as a house, make our expectations for ourselves and each other reasonable and clear. We must be open and flexible to make things work. I view these things not as inconveniences, but as chances to make ourselves stronger collectively and personally.
Soon we will be shaking off the hangover from our recently minted softball season and regrouping. Our goal is to make sure that we maintain the momentum we have worked so hard to build up to this point. I'm excited to take advantage of all the great opportunities that Summer presents (warm weather=less clothes=more fun), and use the downtime from the 9-5 to re-energize for some kick-ass Moishe House fun!
HAVE A GREAT ONE!
(Can you ever go wrong lifting lyrics from DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince? Don't answer that.)
As June begins we choose to focus on the doors that are opening rather than the ones swinging shut. For those of us on a school year calendar this is a great period of transition and adjustment. For our house that means extended periods where our fellow roommates traveling the globe, and a more complex high-wire act of balancing our personal whims with the responsibilities of keeping a cohesive Moishe House summer event schedule.
More than any other time of the year, this is the time where our communication, understanding, and support are required the most. It is hard enough balancing a regular work week schedule, let alone an irregular summer schedule, where not only us but many of our regular program attendees will be "on the lamb" in one way or another. We must, as a house, make our expectations for ourselves and each other reasonable and clear. We must be open and flexible to make things work. I view these things not as inconveniences, but as chances to make ourselves stronger collectively and personally.
Soon we will be shaking off the hangover from our recently minted softball season and regrouping. Our goal is to make sure that we maintain the momentum we have worked so hard to build up to this point. I'm excited to take advantage of all the great opportunities that Summer presents (warm weather=less clothes=more fun), and use the downtime from the 9-5 to re-energize for some kick-ass Moishe House fun!
HAVE A GREAT ONE!
What a wonderful world
The end of May could have not come sooner for one Douglass Gardner. This month has brought upon us many horrible things, yet has also blessed us in many ways. In this month we have had a whole lot of MOISHE going on thanks to the addition of Ashley Warner. Our book club was hot stuff and was even written by a Jewish author, watch out Michael Chabon, your new book could be next (and if anyone feels like joining the book club either from near or afar, email eastbaymoishe@gmail.com). We had a great month of exciting Warriors Basketball that many people were able to take part of. On a different note, the man has gotten us down again, by telling us that to have a softball team in a Berkeley City league, we need to have had a team the year before. This give it to the people who have been there before approach befuddles and concerns me.
But alas, as summer approaches the flowers in the backyard have started to bloom, the grass is looking greener and life is good. Moishe house East Bay is definitely looking forward to a bright future, but there are still some clouds on the horizon. In a few short weeks we will say good bye to Issac Zones (a friend and a mentor) and move on with Moishe house in a new direction. With all the turmoil up top it is understandable that in the East Bay we have definitely felt a lack of support which is concerning. After watching the network of social change...well change... right underneath the feet of the people in the program I have begun to have my own fears. Is Moishe house the next program to become victim to budget cuts or planned withdrawals...is Moishe House beginning to lose the steam power behind it?
I hope for a bright future and pray that maybe somebody will actually read my blog, maybe even a comment?
But alas, as summer approaches the flowers in the backyard have started to bloom, the grass is looking greener and life is good. Moishe house East Bay is definitely looking forward to a bright future, but there are still some clouds on the horizon. In a few short weeks we will say good bye to Issac Zones (a friend and a mentor) and move on with Moishe house in a new direction. With all the turmoil up top it is understandable that in the East Bay we have definitely felt a lack of support which is concerning. After watching the network of social change...well change... right underneath the feet of the people in the program I have begun to have my own fears. Is Moishe house the next program to become victim to budget cuts or planned withdrawals...is Moishe House beginning to lose the steam power behind it?
I hope for a bright future and pray that maybe somebody will actually read my blog, maybe even a comment?
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