moishe moishe moishe.....i feel like a frat boy...or sorority chick......ok, maybe not. the kickball league just ended. my team got second place out of 4 teams....it was the inaugural league and was fun. dodgeball starts up this week and that's when we all put on the war paint :). 5 teams, 75 jews....all thinking they can throw a ball really hard....and then whining when they say they weren't hit/gotten out by fred from the other team. we'll kick it back at the house after the games....that's always fun. i'll be doing a bit of work travel over this month, so i'll be a little MIA at the moishe ranch. fun times......

jodi berris
mhpdx

MHSeattle, Neal Schindler, 11/4/2008

Election fever has consumed my social circle, and more and more of my Facebook friends' statuses are reflecting either having voted already or intending to vote very soon. Last night at the house we hosted an Election Eve discussion that included all the down-ticket items, which gave a number of people a chance to learn about measures and local candidates they had little knowledge of. One attendee in particular spends a lot of time doing local political activism, and he was extremely thorough and eloquent in talking about the pros and cons surrounding each initiative and candidate.

I have to admit, it's hard to focus my energy today; I scheduled a call from a friend in Jerusalem for this morning, and all I want to do is vote. I will, of course, but it's hard to calm the urgency I'm feeling about it. It's also a poignant day for me, as I'm missing people -- my father, who died in 2003 and would have loved to see this day; my ex-girlfriend, with whom I followed the Obama campaign from its beginning until this past August, when we decided to break off communication; another ex-girlfriend, from college, with whom I've just recently gotten back in touch, and who traveled from Oakland, where she lives, to Nevada to canvass; my mother, though I'll certainly call her during the returns tonight; and my friends in New York, whom I miss without always realizing how much.

Erev Election

Me and fellow MHPortland roomie Jeremy watch SNL political skits on NBC, the night before the election. The same ads run over and over and over for Jeff Merkley and Gordon Smith, the two candidates in the federal senate race. One more day, 24 hours and it will all be over, sweet sweet merciful relief. Me and Jeremy spent this weekend knocking on doors all over Oregon with the bus project. Us and 38 volunteers knocked on 6,000+ doors which represents 10% of the total amount doors knocked on by that organization during the election cycle. We are spent. I'm over this election. I will cheer and giggle and perhaps weep with relief when I turn in my ballot tomorrow. Please please please encourage all your Jewish friends to BaRACK the Vote tomorrow.

stay up
marcus
mhpdx

october in chicago

October was good. Not as good as November's been so far, but what you gonna do. Last night we stood in Grant Park, waiting for the election results and then hearing the first speech from our president elect... pictures going up soon.

October was a good mix of high holidays and debate watches. The first half of the month was spent trying to reflect on the past year and the second half was anxiously anticipating the next four. We did a shabbat dinner with Righteous Indignation, which was great. For one, there were a lot of new, and interesting people. More than this, this month was so much about spending our time getting out the vote, dialoguing on the issues surrounding the election, and even doing some plain ol' tikkun olam. It was a good month. Now we need to hold Obama's feet to the fire, keep things moving, and stay active. I hope that our house can do it's part to help keep people involved in the types of things we should all be doing, but sometimes need a little push for..

HomeBroken

This just in.......my computer will not let me hit the "enter" button! So this will be my only paragraph. In other news the Presidential race of 8 thousand is winding down and the coronation plans have just begun to take shape. We at Moishe House Hoboken have changed our name to Moishe House HomeBroken because resident McCainiak Rav Joshua Avraham Einstein and his albino (nationalist) ferret, Perry, are very sad. However the coronation must go on, don't ya know and the debate on corporeal hill is currently caught up on which type of Greek columns, Doric or Ionic, go best with President O'Bama's golden halo. On the Jewish desk Moishe House Homebroken was acknowledged by the tri-states most important and internationaly (better) recognize paper, Der Yuden Standard (pronounced The Jewish Standard). Late breaking news - from the Western Front - all is (relatively) quiet in Iraqistan and the surge is continuing to well surgify. The questions Iraqistani's are begging to ask is will the Presidency of Mr. Obama percipitate the coming of the hidden Imam or is he as the left in America believes the Mehdi / Messiah himself? Before we end our broad cast from international corporeal headquarters in BrokenHome its important to take a moment to say thank you to Aaaaa dooo reeey meee naai, the Blessed one, blessed be S/He, that as of tuesday the endless crappy moronical commercials for petty politics of all stripes and types end! Vive le electrions, vive le liberty, viv le president (FILL IN WHOMEVER WINS HERE)! Long live Moishe HOUSE!

This message was not approved or endorsed by any presdiential candidate at all, not even Palin (so cool), for reals not even Nader (less cool) would approve this. Drill baby drill!

Caren, MH Chicago

The focus this month was on the election- Chicago is ALL about Obama! It's exciting to be apart of history and help create that change... This month we partnered with Righteous Indignation (shout out to Margie- you rock!) with debate watch parties, a Shabbat dinner with voter info, and a canvassing experience out of state. We did some partisan and non-partisan election activity both in and outside our house. Something that really stood out was going to the Obama headquarters in IL and making phone calls in large room with tons of people mostly strangers all working together to push for a new direction and share the importance of democracy... It was a great month and it's been a very exciting beginning to November. We pulled together and we did create change! I'm proud.

OBAMA rocks MH Chicago

Oh, Election Day! Please come and go just as Moishe House Chicago would like you to! We are here, in Chicago, where in just two days people will start flowing out of polling booths and making their way to Grant Park on Lake Michigan. It is pretty exciting that after two years of all this craziness and ridiculous media, it will come to end with one day of voting (well, that's what we hope, right?). It is more exciting that we have the opportunity to celebrate in Chicago with the throngs of Obama supporters on the eve of such a historical day. I am curious about what will unfurl in the night hours of such masses... hopefully there will be a high energy of excitement, hope, and change that will fill the air and consume the world! Oh, Obama, Moishe House Chicago is ready for you!
-Elana