Showing posts with label The Torah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Torah. Show all posts
Friday, April 11, 2014
The Ten Commandments - A Movie Review
Page Two Hundred-Eighteen.
'Tis the season to view good 'ole Charlton Heston and mean 'ole Yul Brynner duking it out for the fate of the Hebrews. I'm in the middle of watching The Ten Commandments like I do almost every year at this time. It's fatefully inaccurate to the Torah but who cares? That flick never ceases to amaze me with it's over the top melodrama and baroque scenes. It's just a hoot. Will somebody please explain to me the meaning of Chuck's sideways ponytail? This classic definitely rates an 8/10.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Purim, 2014 - An Update
Page Two Hundred-Two.
A couple of evenings ago, I went to Purim service. Here's what I saw.
The Rabbi was dressed up as the Wicked Witch of the West. (This, while standing on the pulpit, reading from the Torah.) The Cantor was dressed as a striped convict because he'd been "jailed" by the synagogue's chapter of USY (United Synagogue Youth - the national youth movement of the Conservative Judaism denomination). Seems the only way to get him released was if congregants bought enough fund-raising raffle tickets from USY; they interrupted the service with this announcement. There were also 40-50 heavily costumed children running around the pulpit during this religious service; then, another few hundred made-up children and adults sitting in the sanctuary. I was among the couple of hundred who weren't dressed up at all.
My favorite children's costume was the kid who looked like a cross between Marvin the Martian and Daft Punk. My favorite adult was dressed as an ancient Pharaoh. I don't know if any non-Jews would get the irony of a Pharaoh attending any Jewish religious function, but it's completely over the top.
After the service ended, the party began. The band was good which they always are. But, I didn't stay a long time, just long enough to eat 2 Hamantaschen. I'm not sure where they were purchased, but they weren't my favorite. I ate 'em though, 2 of 'em, in fact. Don't get me wrong. But I didn't love 'em.
I didn't go to the carnival the next afternoon. Instead, I went and visited an elderly couple I'm friends with. She's 93 and he's 97. I brought them some Hamantaschen and we talked and ate and talked and ate some more.
One of these days, I should figure out how to do homemade Hamantachen. It just can't be too difficult. I've made bread lots of times and Hamantaschen is simply a sweet dough similar to a Danish breakfast pastry, plus pie filling. One of these days...
A couple of evenings ago, I went to Purim service. Here's what I saw.
The Rabbi was dressed up as the Wicked Witch of the West. (This, while standing on the pulpit, reading from the Torah.) The Cantor was dressed as a striped convict because he'd been "jailed" by the synagogue's chapter of USY (United Synagogue Youth - the national youth movement of the Conservative Judaism denomination). Seems the only way to get him released was if congregants bought enough fund-raising raffle tickets from USY; they interrupted the service with this announcement. There were also 40-50 heavily costumed children running around the pulpit during this religious service; then, another few hundred made-up children and adults sitting in the sanctuary. I was among the couple of hundred who weren't dressed up at all.
My favorite children's costume was the kid who looked like a cross between Marvin the Martian and Daft Punk. My favorite adult was dressed as an ancient Pharaoh. I don't know if any non-Jews would get the irony of a Pharaoh attending any Jewish religious function, but it's completely over the top.
After the service ended, the party began. The band was good which they always are. But, I didn't stay a long time, just long enough to eat 2 Hamantaschen. I'm not sure where they were purchased, but they weren't my favorite. I ate 'em though, 2 of 'em, in fact. Don't get me wrong. But I didn't love 'em.
I didn't go to the carnival the next afternoon. Instead, I went and visited an elderly couple I'm friends with. She's 93 and he's 97. I brought them some Hamantaschen and we talked and ate and talked and ate some more.
One of these days, I should figure out how to do homemade Hamantachen. It just can't be too difficult. I've made bread lots of times and Hamantaschen is simply a sweet dough similar to a Danish breakfast pastry, plus pie filling. One of these days...
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