B'H
This is just one of the most heart wrenching and gut churning books I have ever read. David Whelan is a scottish man who as a lad spent some time in foster homes and in the Quarrier children's cottages where he, along with other boys, was abused by a man called John Porteous.
This is his website
http://fbga.redguitars.co.uk/abuseVictimDw.php
It is harrowing and I spent the night in tears reading this story of the molestation of a young vulnerable Scottish boy. Yes, there are some cruel and depraved people in this world and they prey on the young and innocent and rip into their bodies and minds to satisfy their own sick perverted tastes.
Rabbi Manis Freidman has a put out a video of a talk he did on this issue. When a child is damaged and hurt in the way that David Whelan was, no one can give them back what has been taken. The best that can be hoped for is comfort and healing through having supportive and nurturing people around them. Actually when anyone is forced into a sexual encounter or liaison with anyone who they do not go to freely and willingly, it damages the emotional and psychological responses of that person. Even as an adult victim of rape is damaged, how much more so a child who had no previous sexual encounters and their sexuality is forever marred. It taints their relationships with others and destroys a part of them that normal people have intact - their unwavering trust and love for another human being who respects them. An abused person has been treated with no respect for their inner feelings and for their personal space.
It was shocking to read but it is worthwhile to see how David rises about the sordidness of what was done to him and remakes himself. He has, I guess, the typical Scottish toughness and doughty personality that helps him be victorious. Success is the best form of revenge on those who abuse you.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Germaine Greer - A literary whore passé on QandA
I rarely watch TV and when I do, I try to watch something worthwhile and mentally stimulating. I actually do not own a TV, but the house we are staying in has one and sometimes my yetzer ra (evil impulse) gets the better of me and I sneak it on. I watched QandA last night and it is a good show usually with high class guests. Yesterday they had an incongruous mixture. The Panellists were Simon Callow - a British actor, writer and director, Sefi Atta - Nigerian novelist, Anthony Appia - a Ghanaian English writer and lecturer and Germaine Greer - tired literary hack with flapping lips and sagging hips who has not written anything of note since she wrote The Female Eunuch and a few papers and articles for magazines. She loves publicity and her nortorious attack on Steve Urwin just after he died, has remained imprinted on my memory as a bit of really bad taste writing and totally insensitive to his family to boot. She would never make a novelist because a novelist has to have some empathy for the characters he or she writes about. Germaine, poor thing, has no empathy and her favourite phrase is 'I am appalled.......BLAH BLAH BLAH and the tirade goes on and she has developed into a 73 year old ranter par excellence. I want to give her a soap box and say to her,'Get out of the media spotlight love and go into a quiet corner of Hyde Park and talk to the plants, (they will probably die of toxic shock after a few hours) maybe Prince Charlie and Camellia will join you on the odd occaison when they want to communicate with a tired old feminist with saggy boobs and tired tummy who ogles young boys.
Unfortunately Germaine has a vagina fixation. As a woman I was embarrassed for her last night. Does she understand how she comes across to an audience? Obviously not.As a white woman I sniggered in shame and embarrassment for several minutes at the look of shock that crossed Sefi Atta's face when Germaine grandly spouted off that 'African men have a preference for a dry tight vagina'. Either Germaine has done some sort of survey (G-D knows how?!) about the preferences of African men's sexuality and she ignores the fact that there is more to a relationship than just sex. We are not animals but Germaine puts human sexuality down on the level of 'entertainment' and mechanics'. It is obvious that she has never really entered into a deep and meaningful relationship with a man. She is somehow emotionally stilted in that area. The ABC's host Tony Jones tried to save the moment with some factual details and tried gallantly to question this woman where she has gotten these facts. Trouble is Germaine presents her opinion as fact and this woman is so sure of herself that those who come up against her are intimidated by her ability to present herself as some sort of literary G-D of letters.
Germaine is an educated perverted old woman who should leave young boys and African women and their genitals (thank you Sefi for that sweet commonsense comment) alone. Let her go home and snuggle up with her vibrators and whatever else mechancial she interacts with and leave humans alone.
I have never liked Germaine and this QandA session left me feeling icky all over and real pity for her. I find it abominable that all her interactions between men and women boils down to sex and its mechanics. Yes, sex is a part of a male female relationship but there is so much more to a relationship and marriage. There is LOVE Germaine and TRUST, HONOUR and the RELATIONSHIP that is so much more than sex and sexuality. You can have a relationship that is meaningful and deep without sex. I am talking about a deeply impoverished woman who has never given birth, never had a child or never even cared for a child or another human being enough to commit deeply to them on a level that is beyond sexuality.
One good thing coming out of this is that I will read Sefi Atta's novels now. She came across as sensitive, perceptive and aware. She is down to earth and funny when she was allowed to get a word in when that silly old white literary whore allowed her to get a word in edgeways.
Loved the comment of the writer who said he was going to write 50 Shades of Gay as opposed to Grey. Hopefully it would be better written and more literary than 50 Shades of Grey.
Here is the link to the session on QandA.
Well worth the entertainment value.
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s3570412.htm
Unfortunately Germaine has a vagina fixation. As a woman I was embarrassed for her last night. Does she understand how she comes across to an audience? Obviously not.As a white woman I sniggered in shame and embarrassment for several minutes at the look of shock that crossed Sefi Atta's face when Germaine grandly spouted off that 'African men have a preference for a dry tight vagina'. Either Germaine has done some sort of survey (G-D knows how?!) about the preferences of African men's sexuality and she ignores the fact that there is more to a relationship than just sex. We are not animals but Germaine puts human sexuality down on the level of 'entertainment' and mechanics'. It is obvious that she has never really entered into a deep and meaningful relationship with a man. She is somehow emotionally stilted in that area. The ABC's host Tony Jones tried to save the moment with some factual details and tried gallantly to question this woman where she has gotten these facts. Trouble is Germaine presents her opinion as fact and this woman is so sure of herself that those who come up against her are intimidated by her ability to present herself as some sort of literary G-D of letters.
Germaine is an educated perverted old woman who should leave young boys and African women and their genitals (thank you Sefi for that sweet commonsense comment) alone. Let her go home and snuggle up with her vibrators and whatever else mechancial she interacts with and leave humans alone.
I have never liked Germaine and this QandA session left me feeling icky all over and real pity for her. I find it abominable that all her interactions between men and women boils down to sex and its mechanics. Yes, sex is a part of a male female relationship but there is so much more to a relationship and marriage. There is LOVE Germaine and TRUST, HONOUR and the RELATIONSHIP that is so much more than sex and sexuality. You can have a relationship that is meaningful and deep without sex. I am talking about a deeply impoverished woman who has never given birth, never had a child or never even cared for a child or another human being enough to commit deeply to them on a level that is beyond sexuality.
One good thing coming out of this is that I will read Sefi Atta's novels now. She came across as sensitive, perceptive and aware. She is down to earth and funny when she was allowed to get a word in when that silly old white literary whore allowed her to get a word in edgeways.
Loved the comment of the writer who said he was going to write 50 Shades of Gay as opposed to Grey. Hopefully it would be better written and more literary than 50 Shades of Grey.
Here is the link to the session on QandA.
Well worth the entertainment value.
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s3570412.htm
Fifty Shades of Grey raises a 1000 red flags...
I have not posted for nearly ten days. A lifetime but I am dealing with a lot as the old year rolls out. I have people to forgive even if I feel it is not my fault, I need to make the attempt to heal the rift between people. It is important to mention that one does not ask forgiveness with the intent of rebuilding the old relationship but to repair and renew in order to come closer to the creator of us all.
If you were close friends you do not have to renew that relationship but to make it a new relationship which may be as acquaintances and not as close friends. Be also aware that letters asking for healing from 'friends' who are secular may also be met with abuse and anger. That is ok if you can forgive their abuse and angry rants, you are a better person for it.
Now let's get down to the Fifty Shades of bull excreta...oh I am sorry, I did mean, Grey. From all I have read and bits I have sampled and it is really not much, because it is poor writing at its best if you know what I mean. If you understand that it's main audience are bored housewives whose sex lives must be quite (I am scratching my head to search for the appropriate term) mediocre to say the least, which in turn must reflect badly on their marital relationships overall, you realise the literary merit of what you are reading. Nil. Cheap smut to titillate the fancy of jaded and extremely tired women. They must be tired to overlook all the errors and frankly boring writing. Erica Jong did it before with Fear of Flying and even if she is not my taste, she did it better. She wrote soft core porn or erotica if you like that passes for literature for adults.
I am old school in my tastes.
There is nothing like a good story well written and I will pass on the sex scenes thanks. I like to leave some things to the imagination and there is not to be said for the explicit and a lot to be said for a little bit of mystery and suspense. You understand much more about the writers's craft when you can show and suggest rather than spell everything out in detail. Detail is lovely and sometimes gives an undercurrent or subtext to heighten the readers' pleasure.
Fifty shades of BS and smut, naah! Give me fifty shades of the rainbow, dancing romance and a good story. E. L. James can keep her smutty story of an abnormal and abusive relationship. I want stories about people who achieve great things despite the challenges that Hashem has put before them. People who are ordinary in many senses and who raise families despite having a child with challenges or having their challenges to face like disease or the death of a child or sibling - you know I want to know how they dealt with their challenges and what it taught them about life.
I do not want to belong to the voyeur club that wants to get inside people's bedrooms. Thanks, but NO, no thanks.
If you were close friends you do not have to renew that relationship but to make it a new relationship which may be as acquaintances and not as close friends. Be also aware that letters asking for healing from 'friends' who are secular may also be met with abuse and anger. That is ok if you can forgive their abuse and angry rants, you are a better person for it.
Now let's get down to the Fifty Shades of bull excreta...oh I am sorry, I did mean, Grey. From all I have read and bits I have sampled and it is really not much, because it is poor writing at its best if you know what I mean. If you understand that it's main audience are bored housewives whose sex lives must be quite (I am scratching my head to search for the appropriate term) mediocre to say the least, which in turn must reflect badly on their marital relationships overall, you realise the literary merit of what you are reading. Nil. Cheap smut to titillate the fancy of jaded and extremely tired women. They must be tired to overlook all the errors and frankly boring writing. Erica Jong did it before with Fear of Flying and even if she is not my taste, she did it better. She wrote soft core porn or erotica if you like that passes for literature for adults.
I am old school in my tastes.
There is nothing like a good story well written and I will pass on the sex scenes thanks. I like to leave some things to the imagination and there is not to be said for the explicit and a lot to be said for a little bit of mystery and suspense. You understand much more about the writers's craft when you can show and suggest rather than spell everything out in detail. Detail is lovely and sometimes gives an undercurrent or subtext to heighten the readers' pleasure.
Fifty shades of BS and smut, naah! Give me fifty shades of the rainbow, dancing romance and a good story. E. L. James can keep her smutty story of an abnormal and abusive relationship. I want stories about people who achieve great things despite the challenges that Hashem has put before them. People who are ordinary in many senses and who raise families despite having a child with challenges or having their challenges to face like disease or the death of a child or sibling - you know I want to know how they dealt with their challenges and what it taught them about life.
I do not want to belong to the voyeur club that wants to get inside people's bedrooms. Thanks, but NO, no thanks.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
The Maccabiah Games 2013
The Maccabiah Games 2013
August 16, 2012
Nurit Greenger
Building Jewish pride through sports...from the London Olympics to the Jerusalem international Jewish athletic event.
Since 1932, every four years, on an uneven number year, one year after the Olympic Games take place, the Maccabiah Games are held in Israel under the auspices of the Maccabi World Union.
80 Years of the Maccabiah: 80 Years of the Maccabiah
In 2013, from July 17th to July 30th, approximately 9000 athletes' delegations from 70 countries will partake in the 19th Maccabiah Games. The opening ceremony will take place in Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Teddy_Stadium). The closing ceremony will be held in Haifa's brand new stadium, under construction as of this writing, under the auspices of the IDF.
The name Maccabi stands for 'Mee Ca'mocha Ba'elim Adonai', meaning, Who is like G-d among the Gods. מי כמוך באלים יהוה-מכבי. The name also comes from the Maccabees heroes of the Jewish rebel army that took control of Judea which had been a client state of the Seleucid Empire. The Maccabis founded the Hashmonean Dynasty, which ruled the land of Israel from 164 BCE to 63 BCE, reasserting the Jewish religion, expanding the boundaries of the Land of Israel and reducing the influence of Hellenism and Hellenistic Judaism.
The International Maccabi Organization was established in 1895. Today, there are 500 Maccabi Clubs worldwide and approximately 450,000 members.
In 1984, the Olympic Games, in their then model were failing. Peter Ueberroth who served as the sixth Commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1984 to 1989 changed the games' model that took place in Los Angeles California in 1984. Mr. Ueberroth made the game profitable. After the successful games in Los Angeles, the USA Olympic Committee had in its kitty $300 Million dollars in profit, that after all expenses paid. And that is the goal of the Maccabiah Games; to make them not only the largest gathering of Jewish people in Israel but also make them profitable. Today they are not.
This past Wednesday, August 15, 2012, in the tastefully furnished Beverley hills home of Laura and Sam Goldfeder, a group of sports' enthusiasts gathered to learn about the upcoming Maccabiah Games and what can be done to help the 2013 19th Maccabiah Games to be even more successful than the previous one in 2009.
The first speaker Steve Soboroff, Chairman of the 19th Maccabiah Games spoke passionately not only about the present efforts to make the games go from strength to strength, but about building the future generation of the Maccabiah Games leadership.
The next speaker was Eyal Tiberger, the Executive Director of Maccabi World Union in Israel. Mr. Tiberger and his wife Eti are on a USA tour to amass support for the upcoming games. How can we not give our unconditional support to an organization whose main goal is to assist 9000 Jewish athletes, able and disabled, to travel to Israel, some for the first time, to experience being there in their Jewish Homeland and to take part in the 19th Maccabiah Games?
The games will be covered by Jewish Life Television-JLTV, headed by President/CEO Phil Blazer, assisted by Eran Shargal, Director of Development (http://www.jltv.tv/), both of whom were present at the meeting. The 2013 Maccabiah Games will be available for viewing in 50 Million households in America. Advertisers for a spot-ad, sponsors and naming rights are most welcome. For assistance with travel and accommodation, there is Gil Tours Travel, Inc., in Philadelphia. Igal Hami, President/CEO, who attended the meeting, who has taken upon himself to make sure that everyone who wants to be in Israel for the games will be able to be there and well looked after. (http://www.giltravel.com/ - 800-223-3855).
Among the guests were medal holders of yesteryears in water polo and wrestling. Among them, Eli Marmur, who participated in the 1973 games as a member of the soccer team USA and was indicted to the Maccabi Hall of Fame as well as the Maccabi Southern California Hall of Fame.
The Maccabiah Games, the third largest international sporting event in the world, offers 46 different competitive sports in the following age categories: 14 yr old-to-18 yr old, Junior Games; 18 yr old-to-35 yr old Open Maccabiah, and from 35 yr old Master Games.
To raise awareness and encourage participation, representatives of the Maccabi World Union travel the world to meet and select athletes. Countries that cannot afford sending a worthy delegation or single athletes – some are 'lost countries' – will get financial help to achieve the desired goal. It costs $5,000 to sponsor an athlete and the organization is seeking sponsorships' contributions.
As an indication of the true meaning of the Maccabiah Games, one can dare call the Jewish Olympics, this story is appropriate. After the terror attack on the Chabad center in Mumbai, India, in 2008, the Maccabi World Union took upon itself to bring athletes from India to the 2009 games and thus make a statement of 'we will arise stronger'. A Cricket team was assembled and it was brought to Israel to compete. They ended up winning the silver medal in their sport.
The Maccabiah Games are a sports competition event, but it is also a vehicle to bring the Jewish world to Israel, which, in return, gives birth to the best ambassadors for Israel and encourages Aliyah, the Hebrew word for immigration to Israel. The Maccabiah Games is the Taglit-Birthrights Israel – the Zionism of the 21st Century through sports. The Maccabiah Games is the trigger to Jewish life, before and after.
For more information please contact your local Maccabi Club through: http://maccabi.org/ and if in the USA, http://www.maccabiusa.com/.
Come and join the 9000 athletes of the Maccabiah Games 2013 and sing the Jewish national anthem Hatikvah in one of the 70 Hebrew accents.
Are you already excited about the upcoming Maccabiah Games? I for one am! You can either lend a helping hand and/or participate. Your choice. Athletes, athletes' families and supporters, sports' fans and simply supporters of Israel, see you in Israel in July 2013.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Doings of the day
B"h
It is interesting to live in two places but I am hoping and praying to Hashem that my son and I have a suitable home to live in before Rosh Hashanna. The couple we are house sitting for return in about three weeks and I do not want end up back in lovely, but dusty noisy Melbourne. That would mean a two hour drive each day or a train ride at around 7 am every day and me hanging around Longwarry every day until Nir finishes school. They have a pub there but seeing as I am not the pub hanging around type it would not be the ideal place to spend six and a half hours every day.
I could I guess go to Drouin to the library to write and research and study something but ideally I would like to be earning money rather than just hanging out in public buildings like the town library or the post office.
We are looking at two farm houses next week. One is simply gorgeous. Set in the hills of Tonimbuk on the road to Gembrook, it is a little house with both a wood stove and heater as well as the gas stove for cooking. I snuck up the road to have a look at it with Nir last Thursday after school was out. We took Mollie and Dougal the two King Charles Cocker Spaniels. The view from this place took simply took my breath away. I could feel pin prick tears starting below my eyelids. It is not a big place but it's set on the slope of a hill just a few metres from the road near the national forest. We will see inside next week on Thursday. With Hashem' help it may be our new home. Going back Nir screamed (not a rare occurance for those who know him know). I braked in fright and then I saw what had excited him. A herd of about 60 or 70 Roos all peacefully grazing in a paddock next to the road. 'hello, hello kangaroos. I love you!' yelled Nir. A few ears pricked up and some sat back on their tails as if to say, 'well, so you should! And what of it?' Then with a belly scratch or two they bent down and continued their eating. ' I love you.' he yelled. A few more times, then he sang to them. 'Moishiach, moishiach we want moishiach NOW!' This did elicit a more few mor pricked ears but sadly the grass and grazing took precedence over visions of Moishiach. When Moishiach does come, the Roos will hop over and say g'day Nir. How is going?' but for now they are silent munchers of vegetable matter.
We are I town for cricket and he has four weeks of a cricket clinic. Then I may have to find a sponsor for his. Cricket if he is in a team as it over $300 for the season. I have been trying to get work teaching without success. They prefer younger teachers under forty five. Stupid really but it isa question of economics. They do not want topayfor highly skilled teachers because they have to pay them more. I have decided to retrain in a profession that is sorely needed in country areas. I should get some recognition of prior learning and experience. Nir has relaxed so much more in the country and his appetite is better, so I am glad we are living in a fresh and healthy environment. Just wish there were some more frum Yidden out here. But I do LOVE Melbourne too.
It is interesting to live in two places but I am hoping and praying to Hashem that my son and I have a suitable home to live in before Rosh Hashanna. The couple we are house sitting for return in about three weeks and I do not want end up back in lovely, but dusty noisy Melbourne. That would mean a two hour drive each day or a train ride at around 7 am every day and me hanging around Longwarry every day until Nir finishes school. They have a pub there but seeing as I am not the pub hanging around type it would not be the ideal place to spend six and a half hours every day.
I could I guess go to Drouin to the library to write and research and study something but ideally I would like to be earning money rather than just hanging out in public buildings like the town library or the post office.
We are looking at two farm houses next week. One is simply gorgeous. Set in the hills of Tonimbuk on the road to Gembrook, it is a little house with both a wood stove and heater as well as the gas stove for cooking. I snuck up the road to have a look at it with Nir last Thursday after school was out. We took Mollie and Dougal the two King Charles Cocker Spaniels. The view from this place took simply took my breath away. I could feel pin prick tears starting below my eyelids. It is not a big place but it's set on the slope of a hill just a few metres from the road near the national forest. We will see inside next week on Thursday. With Hashem' help it may be our new home. Going back Nir screamed (not a rare occurance for those who know him know). I braked in fright and then I saw what had excited him. A herd of about 60 or 70 Roos all peacefully grazing in a paddock next to the road. 'hello, hello kangaroos. I love you!' yelled Nir. A few ears pricked up and some sat back on their tails as if to say, 'well, so you should! And what of it?' Then with a belly scratch or two they bent down and continued their eating. ' I love you.' he yelled. A few more times, then he sang to them. 'Moishiach, moishiach we want moishiach NOW!' This did elicit a more few mor pricked ears but sadly the grass and grazing took precedence over visions of Moishiach. When Moishiach does come, the Roos will hop over and say g'day Nir. How is going?' but for now they are silent munchers of vegetable matter.
We are I town for cricket and he has four weeks of a cricket clinic. Then I may have to find a sponsor for his. Cricket if he is in a team as it over $300 for the season. I have been trying to get work teaching without success. They prefer younger teachers under forty five. Stupid really but it isa question of economics. They do not want topayfor highly skilled teachers because they have to pay them more. I have decided to retrain in a profession that is sorely needed in country areas. I should get some recognition of prior learning and experience. Nir has relaxed so much more in the country and his appetite is better, so I am glad we are living in a fresh and healthy environment. Just wish there were some more frum Yidden out here. But I do LOVE Melbourne too.
Monday, August 13, 2012
There is G-d's beauty in a sunrise...
B'H
My favourite time of the day is morning. We wake with 'Modai ani' on our lips, rinse the night from our hands and then wash the sleep from our eyes and a new world is created full of promise and hope.I saw through the window of the bedroom this.
The picture does not do it justice.It is living poetry. My son is sleeping soundly. So unlike where we were in the city when he would come crying to my room saying he cannot sleep on top of the abuse from the children at the school where he was at previously. I do not blame the children but their parents for their prejudices and assumptions. He was told that 'You have girlfriends'. (I did not understand what he meant until it was spelt out for me by a cocky year 6 boy and his friends in the school yard. Quite pathetic really using your child to spread lies about a person and say that they are a 'lesbian'. I am definitely not, but even if I was it would not be your business. After my stint at dealing with the secular parents at that school, I do understand what gay people go through and it makes me very glad I am not one. Their hatred of religious people is quite astounding though, and for people who say they are for gay rights and minority, it beggars belief that they could do what they did to me. I guess if you are religious and believe in G-D it is open slather. the thing is these people did not understand that I grew up in the country and I am very comfortable being by myself and I am a loner who does like people but I do have the emotional resources to be very self occupied. What they did was just hurt my son by isolating him by not allowing their children to play with him and encouraging them to hit him. When I queried my son as to why he thinks they may have hit him and kicked him in the groin, he said, "Mummy, they hit me because of you. They hate you because you are religious. They told me I was not a Jew and that you are not a Jew. They said you are mad and deluded thinking you are a Jew.'
So I told him, 'Honey these people are not rabbis. They are very ignorant secular or not religious Jews whose neshamas feel an enormous guilt that they are not practising Jews. They feel very bad that they do not follow their religion properly and so they take it out on us.' Then he told me that some of the kids hurting him were non Jews and thus I had to say that there are some Non Jews who know very little about Jews and Jewish belief and so they are afraid because they do not know much about Torah and Judaism only what they have heard from self hating secular Jews who hate the religious Jews and who feed lots of lies to the non Jews which many non Jews take up because they want to live corrupt lives free of the disciplines and morality of Torah and Torah values. Torah is for everyone and even non Jews have the seven noahide laws to follow and some of them do not even want to do that.
Hashem gives all people responsibilities but Jews and our Jewish nation he has chosen for a special role which involves a lot of responsibilities that many Jews let alone the other nations do not want to accept. If we want our connection with Hashem to be strong, we must follow Torah and live a committed and honest life with peace in our hearts and in the way we behave with others even if it is difficult. Even Mummy finds it very hard not to be nasty to be people who are very nasty to her, but we have to try.'
Unfortunately my son told two teachers about the incident with this boy Daniel who wacked him on the leg. They did nothing and did not even write an incident report. I was told that my son has an 'intellectual disability and his account is 'unreliable' because he is 'not very bright and unable to express himself'. I disagree about their assessment of my son's intellectual ability. I believe he is very bright. They just cannot deal with his hyperactive behaviour and if anything they need help in dealing with him. I think he is quite a bright kid who was very keen to learn until he was bullied out of the desire to learn because he was not in the 'norm' range and the worst thing I did was allow them to bully me into doing the ridiculous IQ testing instead of just taking him home and teaching him myself. I think people preconceive notions about others that control the way they think, act and speak about them. I do not blame Daniel, he is a very troubled young boy. What I do want is that his parents get him some help before he really hurts another child, worse than what he did to my son. I have only used his first name, but I do know who he is. I was told that I should just shut up and forget about this. I had played with the idea of writing an impact statement to his parents and begging them to get help for their child, but I was told that they would not listen.
I feel very sad that there is another Jewish child out there who is so very troubled and angry at the world and at members of his own faith that he would deliberately hurt another child, Jewish or not Jewish. I have to work with my son who is now furious at me that I did not go up and smack Daniel one in the playground of his school because he was teased and bullied repeatedly and told he was a non Jew and that his mother was a pig lesbian. He may have said 'big'lesbian. I certainly hope so. I may be big and fat, that part is correct, but I am not a lesbian. They also have feelings and even though I am not one, I feel a sense of pity for them. I was told not to write such a letter as that child's parents will sue me for defamation and it will achieve nothing. It is a sad day when a child who is hurt has to leave school to go to another school because of it. The child who does the hurting gets no consequences and learns that if he hurts another child it is ok. The victim is the one who is the 'criminal' and the bad guy. Maybe he has been hurt and wanted to hurt my child, who knows? I have to helpmy child deal with this sort of garbage and sort through the anger and the despair of another child. The greatest evil is done by those who watch evil happen and cover it up or stand by and do nothing.
So now what I am saying quite categorically the following:
1. I am not a lesbian
2. I do not watch any forms of pornography of any kind - I believe that sort of thing is quite sick and people who do watch it have something wrong somewhere in their lives. Something broken and I do literally thank G-D I have never desired to view such things
3. I am an Orthodox Jewess and underwent a conversion al pi Halacha according to Orthodox Jewish law in 1989. I have no shame about this. I am proud to be a Jew because Torah is about guidelines to a good and honest life. I try to live my life well and people can tell all the lies that they want about me, but I will not deviate from the way I live my life whether I live in a castle or a hovel. I am who I am.
4. I may have deviated from a Torah lifestyle at some time in my life and while this shames me, I have for the past just over nine years tried to do better. I will continue to work on myself and not be fazed by abuse from other people.
I can see G-D's design in a sunrise, the peace of the countryside and know who I am before G-D and that is enough. I try to deal honestly with others. We need to be true to ourselves and G-D and without truth, Torah and Tzedaka we are nothing but a speck in the universe. G-D is merciful and loves peace. Those who do not pursue peace in their dealings with others will never understand the connection between G-D and themselves.
My favourite time of the day is morning. We wake with 'Modai ani' on our lips, rinse the night from our hands and then wash the sleep from our eyes and a new world is created full of promise and hope.I saw through the window of the bedroom this.
So I told him, 'Honey these people are not rabbis. They are very ignorant secular or not religious Jews whose neshamas feel an enormous guilt that they are not practising Jews. They feel very bad that they do not follow their religion properly and so they take it out on us.' Then he told me that some of the kids hurting him were non Jews and thus I had to say that there are some Non Jews who know very little about Jews and Jewish belief and so they are afraid because they do not know much about Torah and Judaism only what they have heard from self hating secular Jews who hate the religious Jews and who feed lots of lies to the non Jews which many non Jews take up because they want to live corrupt lives free of the disciplines and morality of Torah and Torah values. Torah is for everyone and even non Jews have the seven noahide laws to follow and some of them do not even want to do that.
Hashem gives all people responsibilities but Jews and our Jewish nation he has chosen for a special role which involves a lot of responsibilities that many Jews let alone the other nations do not want to accept. If we want our connection with Hashem to be strong, we must follow Torah and live a committed and honest life with peace in our hearts and in the way we behave with others even if it is difficult. Even Mummy finds it very hard not to be nasty to be people who are very nasty to her, but we have to try.'
Unfortunately my son told two teachers about the incident with this boy Daniel who wacked him on the leg. They did nothing and did not even write an incident report. I was told that my son has an 'intellectual disability and his account is 'unreliable' because he is 'not very bright and unable to express himself'. I disagree about their assessment of my son's intellectual ability. I believe he is very bright. They just cannot deal with his hyperactive behaviour and if anything they need help in dealing with him. I think he is quite a bright kid who was very keen to learn until he was bullied out of the desire to learn because he was not in the 'norm' range and the worst thing I did was allow them to bully me into doing the ridiculous IQ testing instead of just taking him home and teaching him myself. I think people preconceive notions about others that control the way they think, act and speak about them. I do not blame Daniel, he is a very troubled young boy. What I do want is that his parents get him some help before he really hurts another child, worse than what he did to my son. I have only used his first name, but I do know who he is. I was told that I should just shut up and forget about this. I had played with the idea of writing an impact statement to his parents and begging them to get help for their child, but I was told that they would not listen.
I feel very sad that there is another Jewish child out there who is so very troubled and angry at the world and at members of his own faith that he would deliberately hurt another child, Jewish or not Jewish. I have to work with my son who is now furious at me that I did not go up and smack Daniel one in the playground of his school because he was teased and bullied repeatedly and told he was a non Jew and that his mother was a pig lesbian. He may have said 'big'lesbian. I certainly hope so. I may be big and fat, that part is correct, but I am not a lesbian. They also have feelings and even though I am not one, I feel a sense of pity for them. I was told not to write such a letter as that child's parents will sue me for defamation and it will achieve nothing. It is a sad day when a child who is hurt has to leave school to go to another school because of it. The child who does the hurting gets no consequences and learns that if he hurts another child it is ok. The victim is the one who is the 'criminal' and the bad guy. Maybe he has been hurt and wanted to hurt my child, who knows? I have to helpmy child deal with this sort of garbage and sort through the anger and the despair of another child. The greatest evil is done by those who watch evil happen and cover it up or stand by and do nothing.
So now what I am saying quite categorically the following:
1. I am not a lesbian
2. I do not watch any forms of pornography of any kind - I believe that sort of thing is quite sick and people who do watch it have something wrong somewhere in their lives. Something broken and I do literally thank G-D I have never desired to view such things
3. I am an Orthodox Jewess and underwent a conversion al pi Halacha according to Orthodox Jewish law in 1989. I have no shame about this. I am proud to be a Jew because Torah is about guidelines to a good and honest life. I try to live my life well and people can tell all the lies that they want about me, but I will not deviate from the way I live my life whether I live in a castle or a hovel. I am who I am.
4. I may have deviated from a Torah lifestyle at some time in my life and while this shames me, I have for the past just over nine years tried to do better. I will continue to work on myself and not be fazed by abuse from other people.
I can see G-D's design in a sunrise, the peace of the countryside and know who I am before G-D and that is enough. I try to deal honestly with others. We need to be true to ourselves and G-D and without truth, Torah and Tzedaka we are nothing but a speck in the universe. G-D is merciful and loves peace. Those who do not pursue peace in their dealings with others will never understand the connection between G-D and themselves.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
A Quiet Sunday and pooper scooper duty
B"h
Yesterday was quiet except for the chooks escaping and pooper scooper duty. Two dogs with properly functioning bowels makes for a lot of poop to collect and put into the sink hole that the owners of this house have constructed especially for that purpose. My son wanted to do it for me for pocket money but I declined his offer. He can do other less messy chores to earn pocket money.
The dubious pleasure of scooping up bits of dog turd will remain mine.
The chooks have now had their wings clipped. The two roosters were furious. They danced around the yard in rage for a few minutes after. Typical of some more primal male behaviour. The hens were distressed. However I did explain to them it would be far more distressing to be eaten by the fox that ate the chickens next door. They must have agreed and quietened down after a few seconds of frantic cackling. No so the red and black rooster. He wanted to fight me. I shut the yard gate in his face after quietly telling him he was outclassed and he should stick to bullying the hens and the little white rooster. The white rooster is sneaky. But I also have his measure. You can learna bit of psychology just by observing the animal world. We are not that far removed it seems.
School and job searching today. I have down loaded the whole tehillim and you can down load parsha as well. Life is looking good.
Yesterday was quiet except for the chooks escaping and pooper scooper duty. Two dogs with properly functioning bowels makes for a lot of poop to collect and put into the sink hole that the owners of this house have constructed especially for that purpose. My son wanted to do it for me for pocket money but I declined his offer. He can do other less messy chores to earn pocket money.
The dubious pleasure of scooping up bits of dog turd will remain mine.
The chooks have now had their wings clipped. The two roosters were furious. They danced around the yard in rage for a few minutes after. Typical of some more primal male behaviour. The hens were distressed. However I did explain to them it would be far more distressing to be eaten by the fox that ate the chickens next door. They must have agreed and quietened down after a few seconds of frantic cackling. No so the red and black rooster. He wanted to fight me. I shut the yard gate in his face after quietly telling him he was outclassed and he should stick to bullying the hens and the little white rooster. The white rooster is sneaky. But I also have his measure. You can learna bit of psychology just by observing the animal world. We are not that far removed it seems.
School and job searching today. I have down loaded the whole tehillim and you can down load parsha as well. Life is looking good.
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