Burlington Rains Again

Out early. Not much movement. The sun didn’t appear. No peek through for the breakwater. Overrun with water, the birds barely have a place to sit, at least from where I stand. Too humid for comfort, air also has some sediment from a fire which burns in my eyes. Cannot drink my coffee. Out of here.

OH_My

 

Kids at Camp Gan cannot figure out what to do. Supposed to go on a boat ride. No way to challenge the lightning or rain. What to do?

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Kelly sits on Cherry St, moved from Main. People complain she has a place to live and doesn’t need to beg. Its her job. But she sits in the sun, dressed well, courteous to a fault. Not many who don’t know her or can pass her by. Misses Paul.

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Richard stays sober until he doesn’t. Hasn’t had to go back to treatment. Hangs out near Lowe’s and Hannafords. Ramp out of order for him. Ruggededly handsome. Lives nearby in the woods, somewhere.

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Don’t have his name. He has mine. Struggling. Living in the woods. Hasn’t smoked in a while. Sweet and kind. Has friends.

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A musician. Used to play a horn. Lost his teeth. Never saw him before. James Harvey, he calls himself. Been around here longer than I have. Has a brown dog. Looking to pick himself up and play again in the fall.

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Ed Larrabee. Met him at the beach. He ventured to North Beach to escape the craziness on Church Street. Has a heritage he can be proud of. No place to live but he knew where he was going to crash tonight. Has a book about the Middle East which he wants to read, but he fears he doesn’t know enough to make it worthwhile. Understands people, but not injustice. Exudes self-confidence and personal strength.

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Don’t ask me how any of them arrived in a place where I can picture them. And, they don’t ask me why I am in their midst.

Hadassah Burlington VT – Chai Tea

 

Hadassah of Burlington, VT, Sara Frank Chapter, celebrated Chai Tea at the home of Suzanne Brown in Shellburne. Kosher Katz, an A Capella group from the University of Vermont, sang three tunes, adding melody and nachas from the next generation of powerful Jewish women.

Tea was poured.

A Presidential message.

Honoring Chai Society, chapter benefactors.

A raffle.

Stella, 98 years old, heralds the past, present and future state of American Judaism and the satisfaction of contributing to Tikkun Olum.

A prayer from Rabbi Jan.

And too much cake and crustless sandwiches. So, what else is new?

OZ Supports JUMP in Burlington

Hunger doesn’t know a season. People living on the edge need food all the time, every day. Don’t take it for granted that all the cupboards have been filled. Burlington has a lot of people who could use more food in their cabinets.

Nutrition comes after all the other expenses. What does a place to live cost? How do you get to the store? Car cost. Public transportation takes time and effort. Walk to the neighborhood store to shop and you pay a premium. How about fresh fruits and vegetables? Cannot buy frozen without a freezer. Fast food kills. Suppose you have a disability. Who carries the food or prepares it? Hmm. Given the choice of buying toilet paper, diapers or feminine hygiene products, which do you select with your last dollar? And, some are dealing with other human problems that interfere with clear thinking.

Very complicated, yes! Here’s an easy solution. Don’t give it much thought, unless you want to. Just fill a bag from the supplied list. Someone will deliver it to JUMP and a person who cannot make ends meet will get it. You will receive an easy mitzvah.

Good Shabbos.

 

Chabad Burlington Celebrates Purim

Rabbi Raskin reads the whole Megilla.

 

A juggler entertained the crowd.

Newlyweds Draizy and Eliahu present to expand the family. They live in Crown Heights. God only knows where they will go.

 

Ruth, a beautiful biblical name and a beautiful woman, attended. She remembered the story. She lives on with the help of her friends. They love her smile. She played the piano during her life, making people hear things they never heard.

Soon to be in Boca. Have roles to play. Know how smart and beautiful they are. Could be Esters, giving of themselves to save the community, but probably will lead in a different way.

 

Eating a humantash. Keeps the tradition alive. Got to eat the food to feel the pride of the story.

Maccabees to the rescue. Not going to let them or anyone interrupt the heritage. You sorta feel the “never again” from these guys.

 

Moms to protect us. Nothing betta than a mom, eh.

 

And Elvis to entertain us.

 

 

 

 

Rabbi Yitzchok Raskin turns 50

To celebrate his 50th birthday, his wife Zeesey gave Rabbi Raskin a party. There were speeches, a dvar, videos of the Rebbe and good will. In his Dvar, he noted that while individual birthdays don’t get recognition in orthodox judaism, it is an occasion the Rebbe thought should be observed. It is but another opportunity to reaffirm why G-d put us on earth and to share that blessing with others. No gifts. No dancing. Just a blessing from the birthday Reb to go into the community and do good deeds.

Columbus Day Flags

At the Lone Sailor
Next To Boathouse
Battery From Boardwalk

How did Columbus Day become a National Holiday? I know how it  became the day for Italian Americans. An Italo/American named Joe Columbo, one who may have had organized crime connections, didn’t like hearing bad things being said about his ancestry, so, in 1970,  he started the Italian American Civil Rights League and held a rally in Columbus Circle.

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Jack H. Press, Dead at 95

"... too old for pictures."
good hands

Jack H. Press, a member of Burlington’s Jewish community, died August 4, 2010 at the age of 95. War veteran, father, salesman, tennis player and who knows what else. I knew him for less than a year. Serious honor to know a person who lived so much, even if he couldn’t remember many of the details.

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