Shabbat Shalom !

Arrived back into the Bay Area from the UK on Wednesday evening so I worked from home on Thursday in order to see the family for the first time in 10 days. Easy to get lots done on the phone and computer and the huge advantage is that I was able to make it to Jacob's school at 11:15 for Shabbat. For anyone Jewish or with any knowledge of Judaism you will, of course, know that Shabbat (Sabbath) really starts on Friday night. But for a Tuesday/Thursday JCC class we celebrate it on Thursday afternoon. (picture left: Jacob grabbing as many pieces of Challah as he can)

The class starts early by making Challah together to use for the celebration later in the day. As you can see from some of the pictures, this is Jacob's favourite time of the week. In fact, Tania & I are convinced it is the only time that Jacob actually properly eats. And what a little piglet he becomes (yes, I know, bad Shabbat reference ;-). Every week Jacob goes up to the Challah basket and grab AT LEAST 5 pieces of bread or as much as his grubby paws can hold (see pictures for proof). He then proceeds to shove as much of it into his mouth as he can at one time. (picture right: Jacob stuffs his mouth - notice how many pieces squished into his hands)

But before eating the Challah the class sings songs and does the prayer over the wine and bread. Each week there is a nominated "Shabbat Helper" and the week that I attended it was Jacob's new most favoured little girl - Galia. You can see her seated with Mommy Nourit who also (out of unbelievable coincidence) just moved to Palo Alto from London after living there for 10 years (just like us)! But that isn't freaky enough. Her husband, Gerardo and she grew up as Jews in Mexico City - their family having emigrated from the Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania. My dad grew up in Columbia with a family that emigrated from the Ukraine and Romania. My mom's family is from Poland and Lithuania. Not freaky enough. Gerardo went to UC San Diego - the same place as I went. Not exactly the largest or best known school in America (but academically highly rated if I don't say so myself). (picture left: Nourit, Galia (Shabbat Helper) and Teacher Michael (from London!)

Freaky enough? No. He went there 1986-1991 - the exact same 5 years that I went there. He graduated and went to work for Andersen Consulting as did I. Alter ego? After that he decided to move with Nourit to London (presumably stalking me!). He then worked in investment banking (reporting to a guy that I personally know) and then the technology sector. He lived in Bayswater and then West Hampsted. We lived in Bayswater and then looked in South Hampsted but decided to stay in Bayswater. We had our first baby (Jacob) in April 2003 they had their first baby (Galia) in March 2003. Stop there? No. In November 2005 we moved to Palo Alto to be part of the heart of the technology sector. In January 2006 they moved to Palo Alto ... to be part of the heart of the technology sector. We enrolled our children in the same school (JCC) on the same days (Tuesday/Thursday). We moved right near the corner of East Meadow and Waverley. They moved near the corner of Bryant (2 streets over) and East Meadow. And ... we both bought the exact same Volvo station wagon. Ours is a much cooler color, though! ;-) Freeeeeeaaaaaakkkkkkkyyyyyyy. (picture left: Jacob covers his eyes for the prayer over the candles, picture right: Gerardo and baby number two - Auriela ... note that they have two daughters to match our two sons)

Whoops! I clearly digressed. Here you can see the fun we had a Shabbat. Jacob is holding is hand above the head symbolising squeezing the grapes to make the wine for Shabbat. And then he covers his eyes to do the prayer over the candles. Then they sing, "it's a mitvah to give Sedaka, to give Sedaka it is a mitvah ..." (Sedaka being charity that the school collects for poor people Israel). Anyway, in the entire time I was in London I never made it to Jacob's school so it was special to be able to go to school with him. And our cosmic twins came over to lunch with the kids after school. (picture right: squeezing the grapes for the Shabbat wine)


Peekaboo! See you!