Posts
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| Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst New York ( A suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.)
and has worked in the ophthalmology
field of medicine for over 30 years |
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| Judy and Steve recently enjoy the fruits of their labor, Jewish style deli! ;-) |
This weekend marks the holiday Saint Valentines Day that seems to be an Americanized holiday celebrated by all.
In our earlier years of "young love" we always exchanged gifts, did flowers and candy and gifts with a special dinner celebration. After 41 years of marriage, we have digressed to a very simple gift such as candy and a nice dinner we can enjoy.
By this stage in our lives, whatever we need we just buy. It has become so Americanized that the stores have made a fortune over the years in selling candy and items that attract young buyers to show their love for one another.
Some people have gone to celebrating the day after the holiday as all candy is marked down by 75%... When we were first dating my husband gave me a stuffed animal that I still do have to this day, one size
fits all, as I gave him a sweater that fits about half of him today that we still have kept. I guess we have "filled" out over the years.
So as I wish you all a Happy Valentines Day, enjoy your candy and gifts and take the time to wish the loves of your lives happiness.
P.S.
Check out Judith's book!;
"Having written this short book about The Tales and Tribulations in my life, I am selling it for $11.00."
Judith Whitehead
"Each sale will have a partial donation from proceeds to Cancer research and to those that are in a fight for Breast Cancer."
"I repeat, each sale will have a partial donation from proceeds to Cancer research and to those that are in a fight for Breast Cancer."
"Send me a message if you are interested in purchasing one.
Thank you!"
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| Judy and Steve a few years back on their wedding day! |
In our earlier years of "young love" we always exchanged gifts, did flowers and candy and gifts with a special dinner celebration. After 41 years of marriage, we have digressed to a very simple gift such as candy and a nice dinner we can enjoy.
By this stage in our lives, whatever we need we just buy. It has become so Americanized that the stores have made a fortune over the years in selling candy and items that attract young buyers to show their love for one another.
 |
| Judith with friends and loved ones wishing all a Happy Valentines Day! |
Some people have gone to celebrating the day after the holiday as all candy is marked down by 75%... When we were first dating my husband gave me a stuffed animal that I still do have to this day, one size
So as I wish you all a Happy Valentines Day, enjoy your candy and gifts and take the time to wish the loves of your lives happiness.
P.S.
Check out Judith's book!;
"Having written this short book about The Tales and Tribulations in my life, I am selling it for $11.00."
Judith Whitehead
"I repeat, each sale will have a partial donation from proceeds to Cancer research and to those that are in a fight for Breast Cancer."
"Send me a message if you are interested in purchasing one.
Thank you!"
 |
| Judy, Judy, Judy! ;-) |
Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...
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3 comments:
The Rebbetzen of Chabad in Honolulu just sent out this informational email on St. Valentine and why Jews should not celebrate this day... Here it is:
VALENTINES DAY VS. " TAMBOURINES, "HAPPINESS", DANCING" - SUNDAYVALENTINES DAY VS. " TAMBOURINES, "HAPPINESS", DANCING" - SUNDAY
WORTH READING UNTIL THE END!
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
It was brought to my attention, kindly and gently by a friend, that some women will not be attending our Sunday evening Jewish Women's Circle - because it is Valentine's Day, and they'll be going out with their husbands, etc. on that day.
We then shared an email exchange about that, which I would like to share with you, in adapted form:
Got it, Bob.
BUT.... being as Valentines Day is actually SAINT Valentine's Day - I'm hoping that Jewish ladies will romance with their husbands every OTHER Sunday night that they can...:) The Jewish calendar has LOTS AND LOTS OF JEWISH days of celebration....:)))) Instead of celebrating / commemorating and memorializing a Christian saint... (Remember, that LOTS AND LOTS of Jewish blood was shed throughout history in the name of the Church....)
Something to think about. I know that most people DON'T think about it - and take it casually.
But, an honest Judaism, with integrity, is the furthest thing from casual. Any student - even casual student - of Judaism - especially mysticism / Hasidism - knows that we Jews don't take ANYTHING casually....
So... maybe .... reconsider? And encourage [wife] to come to this wonderful women's event - and take her out for a fun evening another time...:) ?
As per History.com ( http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day) (BOLD IS MINE):
"The history of Valentine’s Day–and the story of its patron saint–is shrouded in mystery. We do know that February has long been celebrated as a month of romance, and that St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of bothChristian and ancient Roman tradition [ie pagan] . But who was Saint Valentine, and how did he become associated with this ancient rite?
The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death." ETC ETC ETC
Re Valentine's Day, I thought you might find this article interesting: http://www.haaretz.com/news/a-jewish-reason-to-hate-valentine-s-day-1.239291
Here's a small excerpt:
Not to be a romantic spoiler, there is a grim, long forgotten reason for Jews not to rush out to invest in lingerie or make dinner reservations. According to Cecil Roth in his classic 'The Jewish Book of Days', it was on this day in 1349 that the Massacre of Strasbourg took place, perhaps the worst of the many anti-Jewish outrages that occurred during the Black Death. The locals had blamed fluctuations in the price of corn on the Jews, whom they suspected of being protected by the city council.
It was on February 14th that a mob barricaded the Judengasse (Street of the Jews) and drove the whole Jewish community into the cemetery where they built a huge pyre. About two thousand Jewish men, women and children were burned to death.
A new council was installed shortly after, and officially barred Jews from the city for a century. As it happens, this ban was eased 20 years later.
read more: http://www.haaretz.com/news/a-jewish-reason-to-hate-valentine-s-day-1.239291
IF you've read this far, I'd like to add another barely known historical fact: When ST. Valentine's Day was established, not only were marriages outlawed, it opened the gates of extremely licentious behavior (anathema to the traditional lofty code of Jewish morality) - and it is said that this became a day when many Jewish young women were raped, in the name of "freedom".
The Jewish day to express love is Tu B'Av - the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Av, ( Check out "The Holiday of Love & Rebirth") in the summer - and, more so: EVERY DAY!!...:)
While Valentine's Day may be popularly seen as a day of flowers, chocolates, cards continued....
and romance - it's history reveals a far less rosy (pun intended) character.
So, if you are Jewish, and you read the above lines, tell me now: would you rather celebrate a Jewish event (as in our JWC beautiful program below) - or commemorate SAINT Valentine's Day on Sunday evening?
The choice is yours. Let's get happy - and romantic - the Jewish way...
With best wishes for the above lines having broadened your perspective, Shabbat Shalom.
Perl Krasnjansky
My view is that Valentines day is a "Chic" holiday. I do not know one guy that can't wait for Valentines day or is excited about it, they act excited for one thing, their loves of their lives.... and what they may encounter latyer in the evening. The end! wink emoticon
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