SuzeBlogz

The Harvest Festival

In Judaism, at this time of the year, we celebrate the festival holiday of Sukkot. Celebrated on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Tishrei (this varies on our calendar from late September to late October). It comes after the solemn holiday of Yom Kippur.

The holiday lasts 7 days. Throughout the week of Sukkot, meals are eaten in a sukkah (a temporary shelter covered in natural materials, built near a synagogue or house and used especially for meals). In very religious households (not ours!) the men sleep there, although the requirement is waived in case of rain.

The last day of Sukkot is a really exciting day. It's called Simchat Torah and it's the day we take out the Torah scrolls and unroll them.

WHY?

Well, we read the last part of Deuteronomy 

The book consists of three sermons or speeches delivered to the Israelites by Moses on the plains of Moab, shortly before they enter the Promised Land.

That's the end of the Hebrew bible. Poor Moses...he dies now !

Then the Rabbi starts all over with the reading of Genesis...

In the beginning..

and this custom is repeated year after year.

Then, we rewind the scrolls so they'll be in the correct place for the next reading

and it takes 2 people....who meet up somewhere in the middle...well, not technically ! It's heavily weighted on one side cause we've started over ! It takes a full year to read the entire Torah.

*****************

it is also the time when we consecrate the kids...

they get to experience the unique plant & fruits of the harvest...called the lulav & the etrog. These are the three types of branches and one type of fruit which are held together and waved in a special ceremony 

we chant the blessing over the wine

we enjoy the various fruits

and now we know it's genuinely Fall

 

***************

Tune in over the weekend to find out all about THIS>>>

Tee Hee !!

a day at J & J

Yesterday was a day for art...lots of art....

photography, collage, paintings, dimension...from a variety of artists...at the Johnson & Johnson headquarters Art Museum in New Brunswick, NJ. 

The I.M. Pei designed building is amazing

you see his influences everywhere...like a spiral staircase that doesn't look all that exciting when you stand in front of it...UNTIL...you look UP !!

**************

OK...so...You arrive and are given a badge for admittance.

as you settle into your area you're served lovely salsa and chips

Just an FYI: J&J began in 1886 when 3 Johnson brothers started the company. J&J is still in the same location as it was back then. It is located on 20 acres surrounding the Raritan & Delaware canal.

below is a view of the atriums.

****************

Our docent was a brilliant young lady named Heather (who holds all sorts of major art degrees & had credentials 5 miles long) and she led us through the halls. I was there with one of the groups I belong to, The Brandeis Womens Club.

my personel art favorite were the collage pieces from NJ artist Jennifer Levine

they are titled "Life in the Neighborhood"

I loved them !!!

This one was so charming..it says "I met Marc Chagall in my dream and he sat and I painted him"

 

the walls are lined with breathtaking photography

quilts

"Floating Shapes on Black" by Allan Willoughby

plaster sculpture

sculpture made from medical plaster bandages by George Segal who has done a take on Paul Cezanne's still life series

bronze modernist movement sculture by English sculptor Henry Moore called "Reclining Mother and Baby"

a beautiful reception area featuring their credo

"to put the needs and well-being of the people we serve first"

it was a wonderful, informative day with friends..and then we got to shop in their company store....wahoo!!

Visual Treats

This past weekend was The Lensters 50th college reunion.

It was really a terrific event.

Lenny went to NY State Maritime college and when he graduated he was a Marine Engineer.

we watched as the freshman class marched in....in their pristine white uniforms....

and stood at attention for about an hour (yup...a few fainted !) while we heard the speeches, the songs and the tributes.

Then the class of '63 all lined up for the pictures

and lined up again at dinnertime

ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO SEE ONE ANOTHER AGAIN !!

Because they were a small class they were all like best buds and this was REALLY a VERY special occasion. It was quite something to watch them all 'identify' each other.!!

***************

Because enough "down time" was built into the event we were able to make a short drive over to the Lyndhurst (NY) Art Festival,  a fantastic juried show.

and all I can tell you is WOWZA !!

If you need to be inspired by what an artist can make then you were in the right place.

I'm going to give you just some of my visual experiences.

My friend and fabulous jewelry designer Ricky Boscarino, owner of Luna Parc was exhibiting (click on this link....he has an AMAZING, NOT TO BE BELIEVED HOME)

We own several pieces from industrial salvager Bill Finks (Primitive Twig) and now we also own this one (below)...so, if you stay over in the upstairs guest bedroom you'll get to see it.

it was a beautiful fall weekend...we stayed in a wonderful hotel, The Westchester (NY) Renaissance

and I hope all the guys are still here to do it again in another few years.