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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles

Warning: The following post may exceed the recommended daily allowance for hyperbole. Proceed at your own risk.

As every desperate/bemused/frustrated/resigned (pick your favorite adjective) Israel parent is well-aware, Chodesh Irgun is upon us.

So, why haven’t I mentioned this important fact, you’re no doubt wondering?

Two reasons, really.

a) It’s kind of hard to mention anything, when one is busy neglecting one’s blog.

b) I figured that by now, I’d pretty much said everything there was to say (and then some…) about Chodesh Irgun.

But then yesterday, a miracle happened.

Yes, a miracle.

Right here in TRLEOOB*.

<brief explanation>

First, a quick refresher for those who – for reasons best known to themselves – have not committed every single word I’ve ever written to memory. (But if you consider yourself to be an OurShiputzim expert, please feel free to skip ahead…)

Chodesh Irgun usually includes at least one communal seudah shlishit, and said seudah shlishit is inevitably preceded by the Call.

As I noted in my original post on the subject, the Call is when the madrich/madrichah (youth group leader/counselor) calls (hence the name) each of the chanichim (youth group members) to arrange who will bring what to the seudah shlishit.

Without fail, the Call arrives about an hour before Shabbat (when no one has time to run out and go shopping, even if the stores weren’t closed) and involves the most random items (which the typical family rarely stocks in their pantry).

</explanation>

If you’ll kindly consult your calendar, you’ll see that yesterday was a MONDAY – i.e. many, many, MANY days before Shabbat.

Yet, amazingly, it was, indeed, yesterday when one of the Shiputzim daughters got the Call from her madrichah!

And as if the Call’s timing wasn’t shocking enough, the Shiputzim daughter in question was merely asked to bring a bottle of drink and a can of pickles - neither of which is remotely obscure or exotic.

Astonishing, no?

In fact, I’m sure you’ll agree that this means that TRLEOOB* now qualifies for a recitation of שעשה לי נס במקום הזה (“Blessed is… the One Who performed a miracle for me at this site”)…

Winking smile

______________

*TRLEOOB=the real life equivalent of our blog

9 comments:

  1. I think you were just looking for an excuse to post this song because you have a big crush on Mottel (just like I do).

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    Replies
    1. Of course. Marrying a tailor ensures that you will have an endless supply of custom made clothes.

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  2. I don't miss those days, not at all. But granddaughter #1 has begun or should have...

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  3. I'm with Batya. Glad chodesh irgun is behind me. But I am indeed shocked that you merited to receive "the call" a full 5 days (not hours) before Shabbat.

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  4. I've been living here 28 years and I still can't understand why chodesh irgun can't be in August when all the kids are home and going out of their minds with boredom. In any case, i have to say that after years of hearing my incredulous reactions to many "calls" received by his older siblings, my youngest son - now a madrich - is very conscientious about making "the calls" on Thursday.

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  5. That's right, you need a good mother behind the successful madrich!

    We got an email on Tuesday about what to bring on shabbat!

    A friend told me once that they found a note in the letter box a few minutes before shabbat came in (central mail boxes where you collect the mail every few days.) to bring x portions of chicken.

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  6. help! i need a support group! my ulpanist is a madricha! everyone warned me, but like childbirth you just dont get it til it happens to you. another step in being israeli. (i was a madricha in ba in the states, the similarities btwn the jobs are like a worm and a cobra)

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  7. Raizy and Laura - LOL! And very true, because everyone knows that Tzeitel always won the award for Anatevka's Most Fashionably-Dressed Woman. ("They're so happy, they don't know how miserable they are.") :-)

    Batya and Malke - I can definitely see where you're coming from, but I have to admit that as a blogger, I'm very grateful to Chodesh Irgun. After all, it's been the inspiration for many a post here on Our Shiputzim... :-)

    Bracha - As one of the Shiputzim daughter's teachers wrote in a letter home to the parents today:
    ב"ה התחלנו כעת תקופה רציפה של לימודים וללא הפסקות של חופשות
    (חוץ מחודש ארגון)

    Keren - I could SO see that happening here... :-)

    f/e - B'hatzlachah to your ulpanistit! (P.S. Great metaphor! :-) )

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