We were delighted to hear from MitzvahBoy’s new art teacher Ms. Trembly that she is using the Olympics as a theme for fall art projects. Although generally we don’t give much attention to sporting events, we’ve tuned in to the story of swimmer Michael Phelps as it relates to our primary summer activity. Ms. Trembly explained that because her choice of art subjects are endless and possibly esoteric, tying projects to a real world event is the perfect way to engage all parents and students.We spent part of this rainy weekend pasting images of Olympic athletes on new school folders as a way to relate the start of first grade, the games, summer swimming and art making.
This week Naomi Klein reporting from recent trips to China, tells Amy Goodman on Democracy Now how the Olympics have provided a back door to American companies selling security equipment in the name of “securing an international sporting event.” Although it is illegal for American companies to sell security technology for repressive governments to use to monitor their citizens, many fear security systems used to detain Olympic protesters will remain long after the games for use by the government on China’s population. Some of the biggest beneficiaries of this surveillance boom are US hedge funds and corporations, including Cisco, General Electric, Honeywell, Google and L1. L1 is providing finger printing and iris scanning technology.
Don’t miss NYT’s columnist Nicholas D. Kristof’s “Malcontents Need Not Apply” about his attempts to secure a protest permit from the Chinese government. It’s hilarious!
MitzvahBoy is officially becoming a school boy on Monday! Today we meet his first grade teacher and tour his new school. As I was sifting and sorting through all of the summer papers to prepare for this transition I found a list of parenting “commandments” distributed by one of the summer camps. Unlike the family in the play, August, Osage County, practicing a few simple basics can keep family life, well, decent!
I will appreciate myself and my life and not live my life through my children.
I will appreciate my children for who they are and not for whom I want them to be.
Here’s a clip from video taken last week during our vacation at my dad’s home in the Smokey Mountains. Quite an eccentric fellow, he’s likes to drive into his garage/art gallery. When the garage doors open, classical music plays. Very pleasant indeed!
MitzvahMom invites Tampa Bay families to visit the new Jewish Discovery Center opening at the JCC for kids ages 2 - 10. Families can spend time in the Discovery Center during the hours of operation or plan their visit to enjoy a specific program. For admission prices, hours of operation and a complete program schedule visit the jewishtampa.com.
Like ours, many families are finding ways to have fun at home this summer. If you’ve never tried drumming, here’s your chance. Jana Broder, owner of Drum Magic, brings the drums and has a knack for making music with first time drummers. Give it a try!
Free Family Friendly Drum Circle this Saturday!
Kids Drumming at the Paralounge Drum Festival, May, 2008
• Jana Broders’ Drum Magic
• Saturday July 26th from 6pm to 7pm
• Café’ Kili 5731 E. Fowler Ave. Corner of 56th and Fowler in the Applebees Shopping Center.
(813) 988-2879
• Absolutely no Experience Necessary.
• Drums Provided for Everyone.
• All Ages Welcome.
by Elizabeth A. Leib
(logo with permission, Tampa JCC)
All families across Tampa Bay with children ages 2-10 are invited to visit the Jewish Discovery Center opening Sunday, August 3 and continuing through August 15 offered by the Tampa Jewish Community Center and Federation. If you are interested in a better understanding of Jewish customs and traditions and respect for diversity, these hands-on exhibits and programs will provide your family with lots of fun learning experiences. Visit the Discovery Center anytime during the hour of operation, or plan your visit around one of the many scheduled programs.
In Mr. Abraham’s Neighborhood children will role-play in Jewish homes, set a Seder table for their friends and families, practice hiddur mitzvah (the beautification of tradition) as they decorate their own spice boxes, and sort holidays into related seasons.
Noah’s Ark Theater will allow children to perform as they dress up as Noah’s animals and re-enact the loading of the ark while learning about the role of water in Israel.
In the Garden of Eden kids will learn about agriculture and the land around them as they make snakes, plant flowers in our garden, and plant their own seeds to take home.
Families will explore the art of Israel in Joseph’s Diverse Dreamcoat Activities creating pieces to add to the huge art wall, mixing colors, and learning about all the people that call Israel home.
The Discover Center is open Sunday 10-6, Tuesday through Friday 10-2, Plus Wednesday evening 5-8. Visit the jewishtampa.com website for a daily program schedule, information on admission tickets or to purchase two week passes.
My first response on hearing the reports of the New Yorker cover was, hmmm, interesting satire and pretty close to the absurd internet whispers that have arrived in my inbox about the Obamas. The late night comedians respond to the controversial cover in this New York Times article.
added Sunday, June 20: So, ok, for satire to work, we all have to be in on the joke. Lee Siegel in his column today puts a fine point on the issue, “We’re Not Laughing at You, Or With You.” New Yorker editors are blissfully unaware of what its like outside of their world….where many of us live and work alongside those who actually believe Obama is a Muslim terrorist.
My sister, a graduate student at NYU and someone who has pretty sophisticated tastes objected to the cover, saying she thought that it would be hurtful to someone like Obama who is so earnest and sincere about his presidential bid. Living in New York among a very educated peer group, she was unaware of the internet whispers the cover is aiming to debunk. I see her point. Aside from all the intellectural deconstructions of the image, there are real humans at the heart of the satirical cover.
I like Maureen Dowd’s take and she reinforces my sister’s view of the super self-serious Obama in today’s article, “May We Mock, Barack“.
As tasteless as the cover may be, in the dog-days of summer, the depressing mortgage crisis and boring presidential campaigns the cover certainly gives us something else to talk about. Probably we do need to spend more time discussing the fear many have about a candidate so new to the national stage.
Here’s a few interesting videos, one from the Arabic network Al Jezeera and New Yorker editors David Remnick and Hertzburg explaining/justifying the cover.
is officially becoming a school boy on Monday! Today we meet his first grade teacher and tour his new school. As I was sifting and sorting through all of the summer papers to prepare for this transition I found a list of parenting “commandments” distributed by one of the summer camps. Unlike the family in the play, 
(logo with permission, Tampa JCC)
All families across Tampa Bay with children ages 2-10 are invited to visit the Jewish Discovery Center opening Sunday, August 3 and continuing through August 15 offered by the Tampa Jewish Community Center and Federation. If you are interested in a better understanding of Jewish customs and traditions and respect for diversity, these hands-on exhibits and programs will provide your family with lots of fun learning experiences. Visit the Discovery Center anytime during the hour of operation, or plan your visit around one of the many scheduled programs.
