Life is full of Props

Flexible Mindsetting 

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Shabbat #53 - Watch for Little Miracles

Shabbat #53 – Watch for Little Miracles

Sarasota, FL – Sometimes Mom’s words make sense and sometimes they are mumbo jumbo like from the song titled Mumbo Jumbo in the 1966 musical “Stop the World I Want to Get Off.” Some of the lyrics are as follows:

Mumbo Jumbo, rhubarb rhubarb Tickety bubarb yak yak yak Mumbo jum red white and bluebarb, Poor Britannia’s on her back. Mumbo Jumbo, rhubarb rhubarb Nothing newbarb cha cha cha. Mumbo…

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Shabbat Playlist #52 - "525,600 Minutes"

Shabbat Playlist #52 – “525,600 Minutes”

Venice, Florida – I did it. We did it!This Shabbat culminates a year’s worth of official documentation of how we Weinberger’s have stayed true the commandment “keep the Sabbath.” It actually didn’t dawn on me how much the Sabbath actually means to us as a couple until this last Shabbat of the 2017-2018 season. Thirty years ago, Rhoda Tillett, had a Shabbat dinner at Tillett’s Gardenfor the…

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Shabbat Playlist #51 - The Original Shabbat

Shabbat Playlist #51 – The Original Shabbat

Sarasota, FL – Sometimes you just got to get back to the original Shabbat – table clothes, fancy wine glass wine goblets, Shabbat dinner plates, challah, candles for each family, new wine choices, cloth napkins, home cooking and some friends who might say “yes.”

We got lucky for this Shabbat as four sets of our friends were able to join us. Each chipped in – fresh flowers from Sarah’s garden, an…

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Shabbat Playlist #50 - Our Fake Shabbat

Shabbat Playlist #50 – Our Fake Shabbat

Photobombed by Steve!                        

Merik and I in elation!

Sarasota, FL– There are those times when the Sabbath must be celebrated not exactly on Friday or Saturday because of extenuating circumstances. When that happens, it calls for an alternate plan. This was that SABBATH. Merik Shechter and Jake Weinberger have been best friends since about 6th grade. They met as Merik was a…

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Shabbat Playlist #49 - "Bottle of white... bottle of red... perhaps a bottle of rosé instead?"

Shabbat Playlist #49 – “Bottle of white… bottle of red… perhaps a bottle of rosé instead?”

Sarasota, FL – As the Sabbath was settling in we had to make a detour before arriving at our Shabbat dinner destination, D’Corato Ristorante on 322 S Washington Blvd. in Sarasota. While I cannot divulge the details to protect the family, let’s just it was b’sherit (a Yiddush word that refers to that unexplainable and unexpected moment that happens in life when you are in the right place at the…

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Shabbat Playlist #48 - Next Step

Shabbat Playlist #48 – Next Step

Asheville, NC – If it flies direct to a cool city out of one of our local airports and it is priced well, book it! Punta Gorda airport is host to Allegiant Airlines which does fly directly to Asheville, N.C. It’s an easy drive, park and fly experience. Our mission was to celebrate Noah Rudman’s (our “adopted” son) 60 day sobriety mark.  (See Shabbat Playlist #39.) He experiencing many victories:…

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Shabbat Playlist #46 - Brotherhood & Graduations

Shabbat Playlist #46 – Brotherhood & Graduations

Reagan Seyer celebrating with CAKE!

Sarasota, FL – Friday Night – Well, we started at Temple for the Brotherhood Shabbat and broke bread at the table with our friends the Warren’s, Klaber’s, Levitt’s, and the Silverberg’s, but my stay was brief as I had been sweetly invited to Cardinal Mooney’s 2017 High School Graduation at the Van Wezel by Reagan Seyer and her family. Reagan has been my student…

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Shabbat Playlist #47 -

Shabbat Playlist #47 –

Steve and I enhanced by the sunset colors

Shabbat with the Schneider’s!

Sarasota, FL – Part I: 5:45 p.m. on May 26th, Sam Schneider texts, “Perhaps Steve, Tali, you and I can go on the boat and do a Shabbat cruise until sunset.” I was out the door, drove home, picked up Steve, grabbed a bathing suit and drove to Sam and Tali’s home by 6:15. We walk in and he comments, “I haven’t seen you move…

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Shabbat Playlist #41 – Just the Two of Us. Sarasota, FL - Dinner and a show with Steve - a favorite Shabbat celebration. There are stories, but not for the blog! Shabbat Shalom.

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Shabbat Playlist #40 - The Miracle Shabbat

Shabbat Playlist #40 – The Miracle Shabbat

Everett and I headed to Asheville!!

Sarasota, FL & Asheville, NC. – This Shabbat 24 hour pause is nothing short of a miracles. As the Sabbath began, so did our adventures. Steve and I headed to Asheville as we were guests along with the Couto family for the Autism Symposium.

The quick backstory (see Shabbat Playlist #33): Everett was a camper at Camp Arrow, a social skills/cognitive/playful camp…

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Friends, Beaches, a Walk in the Park & Educational Law!

Friends, Beaches, a Walk in the Park & Educational Law!

Sarasota, FL & Dunedin, FL – What happens when you combine a stunning sunset on a Friday night, some beach chairs, fine wine, challah, fresh mango, sushi, pistachio nuts and good friends like Ed and Sarah Weinstein? You get Shabbat! It’s that simplistic. Call a friend and just show up. Playing at the beach at least monthly should be a mandatory law for those of us who live near it!

Luckily,…

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Shabbat Playlist #42

Sarasota, FL & Toronto, Canada

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Shabbat Playlist #38 - Dinner, Bimah and Oneg Shabbat

Shabbat Playlist #38 – Dinner, Bimah and Oneg Shabbat

Sarasota, FL – March 17, 2017

While Shabbat always remains about the pause and the reflection of the week, sometimes I get overjoyed just about searching out a new wine with a unique name. Publix’s wine aisle did not disappoint. I resurrected Ménage à Trois wine from a previous Shabbat; felt inspired by the wine The Beach House, and giggled at The Middle Sisterwine label. Our table was set for…

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Shabbat Playlist#39 - The Longest Shabbat Table

Shabbat Playlist#39 – The Longest Shabbat Table

http://https://www.facebook.com/steve.weinberger.3

Sarasota, FL – My husband, Steve, had a Shabbat birthday this year which prompts extra creativity on my part. Usually the Wednesday morning conversation leads to possible Shabbat plans. My response this time was “I got this.” During our 30 years of couplehood, we play who can top that. This birthday was no different. Erin, our daughter, who…

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Shabbat Playlist #37 - Cross Your Ankles, Don't Bring Home Take Out, and Keep Your Notebooks

Shabbat Playlist #37 – Cross Your Ankles, Don’t Bring Home Take Out, and Keep Your Notebooks

Sarasota, Florida – Tonight Steve and I were honored with the opportunity to spend Shabbat service on the bimah where all of the action of the service takes place: the blessing of the candles, challah and wine, celebrating a Bar-Mitzvah read from the Torah (five Books of Moses),  listening to the sermon of the Rabbi, and watching other congregants enjoy the moment of pause. Sitting on the bimah…

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Boca Raton, FL – Back in 2008, our friends Gabi and Orna Klein, invited us along with Sam and Tali Schneider to the Asolo Rep Theater to the show Working, a Studs Terkel story with some new Lin-Manuel Miranda songs sprinkled in. After the thought-provoking show, we stopped at the Starbucks on University for a Shabbat evening coffee. As we walked through the door, a gentleman stood holding it. We…

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Shabbat Playlist #35 - Friends, Thrift Shops, Beauty and the Beast!

Shabbat Playlist #35 – Friends, Thrift Shops, Beauty and the Beast!

Ft. Atkinson, WI – Traveling always creates challenges for celebrating Shabbat. First, one doesn’t know if it is possible to have the props of Shabbat, and in this case, I wasn’t sure if Erin or members of the Beauty and Beast from the Fireside Theater cast were interested or intrigued by the moment.  So I just let the day evolve.

First, it is important to note that plates of veggies or fruits…

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