Thanksgiving '24

 

We started the holiday early by going to the Thanksgiving service.

The Turkey Trot had perfect weather.
This year I was cheering with friends and only D. ran.

I made a lot of food

and D. set the table and cleaned up.
Good teamwork.

I was especially proud of my homemade centerpieces.

I hope you had a nice day, too.

Exploring Locally

It wasn't until the end of last year that I wandered around the School of Theology, not far from home on the north side of Foothill Boulevard and just south of the botanic garden.

A farewell letter was in the local paper last week

A loving farewell from the Claremont School of TheologyMay 22, 2020 >You have been a blessing to our school for more than 60 years, and even though we are moving to Salem, Oregon, this summer, we will continue our friendship for years to come.
>When our School of Theology moved to Claremont from the campus of the University of Southern California back in 1956, the city of Claremont was preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary, Dwight D. Eisenhower was president, and underground train systems were just gaining popularity.
>Today, hybrid cars and hybrid education are commonplace, technology has advanced at monumental speeds, a billionaire reality TV star is in the White House, and we are facing a global pandemic that requires us to rethink everything.
>I am grateful for the leadership of our city, county and state as they guide us through this crisis, and for the Claremont community that shares many of the same values of justice and compassion for all our neighbors.
>We will certainly miss the “City of Trees and PhDs,” but we will take our name and the progressive, rigorous, and life-transforming theological education you have come to expect from Claremont School of Theology with us. Indeed, it was in Claremont that our professors developed the world-renowned Center for Process Studies and the holistic mental health services of The Clinebell Institute, and it is where we expanded the very definition of theological education by partnering with various Christian denominations and even Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, Jain and other religious institutions.
>It is this type of innovative education that Willamette University and the city of Salem welcome and it is why we will keep Claremont in our name.
>Since 1885, when our school was born in the San Fernando Valley, we have moved and evolved and grown to meet the challenges of the day. Today is no different.
>In addition to everything else that is changing in education, together we face a new challenge with this global pandemic. We have responded with the same integrity and energy, so no matter what happens with this pandemic, our dedicated staff and faculty will continue to serve, teach, and equip compassionate and grounded religious leaders for this generation and the next.
>As we depart Claremont, I pray the legacy we leave behind is one of hope, perseverance, and gratitude. We shall be forever grateful for how you welcomed us and served alongside us in the shaping of theological education and in the formation of spiritual and religious leaders and educators.
>Blessings and good health,
Rev. Dr. Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan
President
Claremont School of Theology

I was trying to understand what this meant and by reading the comments I learned more.

They’re in a big legal battle with the Claremont Colleges over rights to the land and facilities which contractually the Claremont College Consortium was guaranteed first access to repurchase for $4 million (sold originally to CST for $110k in 1957), and the School of Theology wanted to renegotiate for an extra $32 million. The move requires several colocated institutions, like the Episcopalian School of Theology, to find new locations to house their facilities. A few years ago CST disavowed the Claremont Lincoln University which was a collaborative attempt to formalize an interfaith institution at the colleges. (It continued without them, and there’s a new building on First and College.) I’m hoping that Fuller Theological Seminary, which canceled its move to Pomona earlier this year due to costs can maybe consider relocating to the CST facilities in Claremont. Otherwise the campus and its historic buildings are at risk of being sold off for commercial development. It’s understandable on some level due to their funding challenges, but it’s also a malaise representative of continued mismanagement. (WASC, the accreditation authority for universities, had them on notice for years, largely for financial reasons.) This institution was a part of Southern California for over 100 years. I think we all would have liked for CST to stay in Claremont and for their jewel of a campus to thrive. 

I hope it stays a campus because I have enjoyed wandering around a few times, probably more than I would enjoy a retail development on the same property.

The chapel
When I looked in someone was practicing violin.

From the outside

There are several nice places to sit.

But they seem to have a problem with end of the fountain.
"But let justice roll down like waters,
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."
Amos 5:24

This same quote was the headline from an article a few years ago, which talks about why it was quoted by  Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

On the other hand

Most area papers cater to its readers, as does the Oklahoma City paper.

Here is the day's front page prayer.

In addition to Dear Abby they have Dear Dr. Graham.

 But this was not the same.

The L.A. Times lists the conference of the L.A. teams first.

The N.Y. Times lists the conference or division of the N.Y. teams first.

I was surprised to see that the OKC paper lists the Eastern Conference first.

I don't think there is a deep meaning to it all, but it is fun to read the local paper and learn a little something.

Busy, busy

It was a busy weekend, but we were still able to find time to watch the first part of E.T. in honor of the music A. played as part of his concert last week.

This week included the teenager taking the SAT, the younger one playing a soccer scrimmage, some the family going to a Bat Mitzvah, and one person going to the League of Women Voters meetings, where she was elected to a one-year term on the board.  Then it was home before going to the annual meeting of the Friends of the Claremont Library.  The speaker at the library talked about book clubs and shared a list of what each club had read the last year.  There wasn't as much variety as the year before since everyone seems to be reading the popular books (e.g., Orphan Train, The Boys on the Boat).  It seemed like a great reward for attending the meeting.  Meeting the person who owned the current collection on display was something different, too.

Her kids have already told her they do not want her collection.  Maybe the children's literature collection in Mississippi would be interested.

Back home pull something together for a potluck in the park, just a block away.  Sunday was slightly slower, but still involved people here and there and a weekly ultimate frisbee game.  Today one kid is at a school pool party and one is home sick, but I hope we are all back to our regular pace when school ends.

Holiday

Seven weeks ago on the second night of Passover we started counting the omer, which literally is a measure (omer of grain).  It was used as an offering for the seven weeks leading up to Shavuot, the holiday celebrating the giving of the Torah.

When we lived in Ithaca we had friends who said if we counted the omer every night they would bake us a cheesecake!  They still send us the chart, but we bake our own.

Unfortunately one night was missed.

We decided to still bake a cake, but to sacrifice one piece.

Chag sameach!

Bonus photos!

2009

2010

2011

2012

Another Holiday

 The first time we built a sukkah we used branches from trees around the house for the roof.

 One year I was driving on errands and saw some people cutting fronds and asked for a few.  Another year I called the city to ask if they were trimming trees and they delivered the fronds to our house.  This year D. contacted a groundskeeper at the college who cut some palm fronds and left them for us to pick up.  Even putting down the seat did not prevent the fronds from sticking out the back.

Unfortunately, I put the seat back up and expected it to stop, but it sprang forward, bashing my glasses into my head, causing bleeding by my eyebrow and natural eyeshadow.  The glasses were easily straightened and the color will fade.

The fronds look great as the roof. Theoretically we can see the stars and feel the rain. 

The sukkah has hosted a few dinners, but could use a few more decorations.  The holiday is over, plus it is a little like a Christmas tree because it is good to have it up for the holiday, but we there are no rules about when to take it down.

Holidays

First came Labor Day, which was celebrated at the 10th Street block party (nice to be included since we are on the corner of 11th Street).

True confessions - this isn't our block and this isn't our party, but I didn't remember to take a picture and it looked more or less like this.  Definitely less clothing.

Next up was Rosh Hashanah, and even though it was 85ºF in the house I made my first successful round challah (no problem getting the dough to rise).

I was excited to try a new braiding pattern, almost like origami or woven hearts.

When I was growing up schools were closed for holidays and there was no discussion about whether to attend.  R. has been going to school post-Bat Mitzvah, but A. still misses it.  The plan was to go to Hillel, but he was invited to spend the day at the beach with his grandparents, which is not so different from what I did as a kid.

This was taken yesterday on Balboa Island, but it looks it is time to get ready for Halloween (which you know is coming because the new item at Trader Joe's is Ace's Pumpkin Hard Cider).

Happy holidays!

Serendipity

I didn't get to watch the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, but I enjoyed reading the NY Time's article about the discussion (controversy?) about the spelling of the winning word.  The official Yiddish linguists say it should by kneydl (rhymes with ladle), but the official bee dictionary lists the correct spelling as knaidel.

The article also refers to Leo Rosten's The Joys of Yiddish, which prompted me to take it off the shelf.

In this 1968 edition the spelling knaydl is used and defined as a dumpling, a term of endearment for a child, or a chubby woman.  I'll let you know how my kids react if I start calling them "my little knaydls".

You never know what you'll find tucked in a book and in this one was a ticket to services just weeks after our honeymoon.

Just one article brought entertainment and good memories.

Ordination

One of R.'s first Hebrew teacher's was a Pitzer student who was amazingly enthusiastic.  Not only did he teach Hebrew, but he taught the joy within Judaism by sharing stories and activities.

Yesterday I had the privilege of seeing him ordained as a rabbi.

Here is D'ror giving the group reflection, Avot De Rabbi Natan, focusing on making all Jews welcome.

I am proud of the Conservative Judaism movement for making the change to ordain gay rabbis (even in Israel).  It was moving to see the support D'ror received and I am happy for the kids out there who will have him as a role model.