Archive for the ‘LES’ Category

Getting Back into the Swing of Things (again)…

Saturday, March 28th, 2009

This shabbos was spent by Esther’s mom in the Lower East Side. After all the hectic running around for the shalom, zachor, vacht nacht, bris, and the family’s general needs – we got to catch our breath. My MIL did all the footwork for shabbos, so all we had to do was show up and eat.
Shaina for some reason was not comfortable with her surroundings and did not ‘go gently into that good night’ when it was bedtime. But we came home tonight (motzei shabbos) and let her poof in her own bed.
Mommy and baby boy Yaakov are doing well.
I’m trying to figure out why the links on the right hand side of this blog don’t work….

Gut vuch!

Countdown to Aharon’s wedding!!

Tuesday, August 12th, 2008

It’s hard to believe that it’s the middle of August. The summer is FLYING by, Tisha B’av and the sad days before and after are gone and we’re very much in the ‘wedding mode’. There is SO much to be done before the wedding; and there are two things that are making this more complicated than a regular wedding.

1) The aufruf. We haven’t done a Shabbos simcha in the  Lower East Side since Sara Rochel’s Sheva Brachos in ‘98, almost 10 years ago. We had a few aunts and uncles, and a few single cousins. My Shabbos Sheva Brachos was done in Brooklyn cuz it was just easier. But it is apporpriate to have Aharon’s aufruf in the good ol’ LES. However, b’h our families have grown and there is a nice little crowd coming in. Making an aufruf in the LES is complicated because of the fact that A) There is no eiruv. Makes a problem for carrying and for the three families with babies, myself included.  B) there are stairs. I might use the shabbos elevator, but not everyone would and it’s not always on. C), Most of the apartments are somewhat small and it has been a little challenging figurnig out where to put everyone including a few families of 4+.

Then there is the regular planning of an aufruf, who will speak when, what to serve, what to put in the guest bags, where to have the Kiddush, etc. Mommy has been working so very hard to figure everything out and make everyone comfortable. And I’ve been helping as much as I can. There’s a lot of back and forth of who will be staying in which apartment and where it makes sense to eat. I think we are starting to finalize things, but things probably won’t be really final until Friday! Whatever, it’s been a lot of fun though slightly overwhelming ( I can only imagine how much work it is for Mommy).

2)The other complicated factor is that this wedding is ‘Out Of Town’. I have not been to an OOT wedding in years. I forgot what they are like. But for us, the family, there is a lot of extra planning going on. B”H, we got that great $1 fare on the greyhound bus.  But there are LOADS of other plans to make in a city that up until a couple of months ago was a completely strange one to me. As the local family Internet / travel guru, obviously a lot of the planning is falling on me. I don’t mind as long as everything works out. So far I’ve saved the family a nice amount of money by researching which car rental is the cheapest and doesn’t charge a drop-off fee to return it elsewhere and doing my homewhere and reserving a nice 3 * hotel on Priceline for $70-75 instead of $110+.  I’m also looking into minyanim, Kosher food and activities to do — in Niagara Falls. Amazingly, my mother’s sister Chanie lives a couple of blocks from where the bus drops us off in Downtown Toronto and she’s being so hospitable and taking care of driving us places and giving us breakfast. This should be LOTS of fun but also a bunch more work to finalize.

Besides for all that, I still need a suit or two for the aufruf / sheva brachos, need to finalize on a dress for Shaina baby, make some shtick for the wedding and arrive early on Friday to help Mommy out. Oh, and also like go to work every day, cook,  clean and do laundry. And take care of my baby.

B’h for being busy with simchos! We’re so excited, just one week and two days left! (and one week till we board the bus. And three days till the aufruf)

Aharon Price’s Vort

Sunday, June 15th, 2008

Here are some pics from the amazing time we had at the vort:

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Thats the chosson with Rabbi Dovid Feinstein shlit”a.

Busy, busy, busy

Wednesday, May 21st, 2008

There is just so much going on.

First of all, the crib has been working out pretty well. We give her a bottle sometime before 10 and she ususally sleepps until some point in the middle of the night like 4 or 5. I hear her crying, take her into my bed and feed her and we go back to sleep together. I’m usually tired in the morning, but then again, I’m always tired. I keep telling myself I’m giong to take a day off, but I haven’t yet, b’h. You know, I realized I haven’t got a full night of sleep since the second night in the hospital when I asked for a sleeping pill…that’s why they invented coffee, right?

In other news, we had a big huge fun Shabbos this past weekend. Uncle Shloimy and Aunt Miriam are here from Israel cuz he got honored by teh Neveh Tzion dinner where he is a Rebbe (has been for 30+ years). Then, the kallah, Chanie came and we hit it off immideiately. She is SO cute and fits right into oru family :) . Uncle Meir and Aunt Suri decided to come too, as well as a cousin Marlin from Chicago who was in town on Business. And SR and Aharon and the kids, and don’t forget my brothers. I don’t know how we squeezed everyone in, but in the Lower East side, you just stretch the rooms and borrow rooms from neighbors. ANyway , Shabbos was a ton of fun. Mommy outdid herself with the cooking and planning and there was singing and shmoozing and good food all around. Uncle Shloimy did his usual inspiring with his heartfelt divrei torah and it was so nice to look around and see the nachas that there b’h is. I got to sneak out to MTJ for the kiddush of my friend Teheila’s brother, and that was a treat. Shalosh Seudos was just women, and neighbor Leila and cousin Sheila and Alysaa joined us as well. What a Shabbos. As Adiel said, ‘why didn’t we just have the aufruf this shabbos and send Aharon to Vegas ;)

Sunday night was Abba’s yahrtzeit. Imagine it’s a year since my last post and 5 since he’s gone. :( Almost the same crowd as on Shabbos. BTW, last yahrtzeit, I came home and took a pregnancy test that came out positive. Mamash that night, and here is Shaina Nechama :) . So the yahrtzeit was one of the nicest ones, we had two siyumim, Shloimy and Moshe. Lots of singing. Speeches simple, short, real and heartfelt. And Aharon being engaged was a huge chizuk. Even Mommy said it was the first year she didn’t just dread it and felt like we were really celebrating Abba’s life. One thing is for sure, he is helping our family out up there in ways we never can even know.

On Monday, the three women wanted to go to the cemetary, but we all ended up going different times. I realized that Old Montefiore is pretty close to Hewlett, so I dropped Adiel off at MAY (South Shore) to teach and drove myself. Even though it was rainign and the GPS wasn’t working, I still figured out how to go. Abba was helping me get there (with a little help from Hagstrom maps). Althogh I was there myself, it was nice having some ‘private time’ with Abba. I also introduced Shaina to her Zaidy (even though she was sleeping). From what I heard, SR came next and then Mommy, we all missed each other.

This week flew by — and before you know it, Memorial Day Weekend is here. Big stuff is happening in the Lejbovitz home over the weekend. Firsly, we are getting a very special guest from Chicago — Amanda, Adiel’s sister. That should be lots of fun. We also have Aharon’s engagement party / vort Sunday afternoon. SO lots going on, glad I caught all of you up on most of it.

have a great rest of the week / weekend / Shabbos!!

Passover 5768

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008

This year I had the privelege of hosting my first seder at my In-Laws. Even though I had reviewed what was to be done , I had to wing it when it came to singing. But overall, we all had a good time.

I should also say that it’s the first time that i slept in one location outside my own apartment for 5 days in a row. 3 days shabbos/yom tov and 2 days of chol hamoed. fun.

 we went to the South Street Seaport where ALL of us (Esther, me, Shaina, bubby, Sara-Rochel & family, Moishe and Aaron – who flew in from Israel) all went on a 75 minute water ferry tour of ‘Jewish NY’. The tour guide shared a lot of stories and information about jewish life in the lower east side and buildings which could be seen from the boat. We also got some great pics of the statue of liberty.

we came back home 3rd night of chol hamoed and got to rest before going out for some more activites the next 2 days. for the last days, we were by esthers aunt and uncle in brooklyn and ate one meal by the langsners. woo hoo.

Now we’re back home (which was cleaned for Pesach) and still havent done any shopping – so we’ve been eating what we could find in the cupboard. Hopefully, we’ll go shopping later.

Mazel Tov Toby and Leiby!

Monday, February 11th, 2008

Last night we attended the vort of our good friend from the LES, Toby Adams and her chosson Leiby Ungar. I can’t believe she’s engaged and am so excited for her! All the best you too! We had loads of fun going to her vort, it was very ‘Leiby’dike and LES functions are always fun! Too bad SN slept through the whole thing!

Aren’t they a cute couple?!
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Me and her
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Picture of Shaina last week, compliments of Bubby Price (taken on her lap). We’re hoping for a smile soon!toby-vort-shaina-week-4-091.jpg