Ramateshkolian: The only thing I can suggest is to have patience. Eventually they will grow up. My daughter went through the same thing with her boys for many years. They are now 16 and 18 and, for the most part, are now good friends.

So right: You first.

RE;Twerpz I have never had them but judging from the description on the website, I want several pounds of them – now. But, oy vey, they are sold out!! A comment on the website said that they only make them for a few months of the year and then there are none until the next year. I hope I can wait. I will have to be content with some other chazereye – like a UNO chocolate bar. I love them – expecially if you freeze them first.

IJMO: I am talking about during the week when people dress casually. Many regular members of the minyan are retired so they aren’t going to wear a suit and tie to come. Working people dress like they do when going to work – usually a suit. On Shabbat people are much more dressed up. In fact, about a year ago the Rabbi’s sermon touched upon the fact that one should wear their finest clothing for Shabbat. I usually get very nicely dressed up for shul on Shabbat but occasionally am a bit more casual – for example a skirt and sweater instead of a suit. I always dress up when I know that there is a Bar/Bat Mitzvah because I feel that if I am privileged to attend this family’s simcha, they deserve me taking the time to dress up. At my shul, women often wear slacks which I rarely do – sometimes at 40 below zero – but never if I know that I will be on the bimah. I feel that being on the bimah requires finer dressing – just my opinion – and just on Shabbat. Sometimes in the summer, men will come without a tie – nice shirt, sports jackets and slacks. I noticed that Israelis dress much more casually – even on Shabbat. During the week however, I do wear casual to the minyan – usually slacks. I know that I may hear a lot of criticism about the slacks, but I am Conservative and that is the way we do it. Incidentally, I would NEVER attend a service a frum shul in slacks. But, interestingly, I have been taking some classes at Chabad and most of the women attending (non Chabad people) wear slacks. The first few times that I went I made sure to wear a skirt but after awhile I also wore slacks as it was verrrrry cold outside.

You have to be a member of Costco in Canada to buy gas from them. It is quite a bit less expensive, but I refuse to pump my own gas. Call me a princess if you must, but when it is 40 below zero, I would rather let somebody else pump it. I also use gas coupons from another chain that pumps for you and I save at least 2.00 a tank – often more. The secret to Costco is knowing your prices and deciding what you want to purchase in bulk. Sometimes it isn’t worth tying up so much money in items you won’t need for another year. I also find that when items are on special at places like WalMart, it is less costly than shopping at Costco.

ItsJustMyOpinion: As I drive to minyan on Sunday mornings I happen to pass by 3 churches and people don’t dress up to go there anymore, either. I seen women in pants and no hats, men, teens and some women in jeans, etc, etc. I believe that with dwindling congregations, the clergy are just happy to see the worshippers – whatever they are wearing. Not unlike many synagogues. Life is much less formal these days – I have noticed when attending a ballet or the theatre – where people used to get quite dressed up – anything seems to be going there as well. I haven’t seen a man in a tux or a woman in a gown at a concert or opera in at least 20 years, but I see plenty of people at these functions in jeans, cords, khakis, etc. At my shul, except for Shabbat and Yomtovim, casual is just fine.

The only complaint that I have about Costco (at least in Canada) is that the only credit card they will accept is American Express. Of course you can always use cash or a debit card.

Heshy: Have you ever shopped at Costco? If not, I suggest that you ask a friend with a membership to take you. You can browse around and then decide if it is right for you. If you live in a large centre with a large Jewish population, then generally Costco carries a lot of kosher food. My daughter buys most of her meat at Costco and says that she saves a lot of money – often paying the same price for kosher chicken as treif costs. She also gets a lot of Shick bakery products in large containers at small prices. Where I live, the Jewish population is small and Costco does not carry meat. In fact, the only time they carry specifically kosher food is at Pesach when have Kedem grape juice, large boxes of matzo and macaroons in big jars. But, of course, a lot of what they carry happens to be kosher – nowhere can you get pickled herring for such a low price and here, they do have the lowest prescription prices in town.

Basically, you have to weigh all the options and decide.

Blinky: When I first began using the internet almost 20 years ago, there was an online Jewish Community on AOL. It was quite an amazing place – of course not frum. At one point they began an online shul and had nightly services. People who lived in tiny little communities who had no Jewish contact participated and eventually many of them began making the commute to a real shul for Yomtovim. Anyway, there were several chat rooms and the one that I participated in decided to have a get-together. Many of us met each other in person in Las Vegas – I went twice, in Miami – I went to that one and in Fort Lauderdale. Some excellent friendships were made. Also, several times during the year, in cities where there were a number of people living – LA, NY, etc. people would get together for a brunch. Of course, it took a lot of co-ordination – particularly the out of town events – and someone had to be willing to take on the reponsibility of being the chairperson. It was almost like going to an out of town family simcha. So, it can be done….. Of course, I would be willing to be the host but I doubt that any of you wish to travel to the Canadian prairies.

I have so many favorites it is hard to choose : cheesecake, corn bread crackers with honey, semechkes (sunflower seeds), Coffee Crisp chocolate bar (I think it is not available in the US) with a hot cup of black coffee, pumpkin pie with real whipping cream,rugelach…… I could go on and on. Luckily, I am underweight and usually trying to gain a couple of pounds.

I have decided

Speaking this way is stilted

Not at all normal

I find the CR a very lovely place to visit. I have visited another similar website where people are uncredibly nasty to those who are not exactly like themselves. Many are not interested in an exchange of ideas but rather just “shooting the messenger”. I find the CR to be a genteel (not gentile) oasis and I have learned so much from all of you. I only wish that I had the opportunity to meet many of you in person – over a real cuppa joe – and a little nosh of course.

Be sure to leave a note for the housekeeping staff not to turn out the lights when they make up the room. Last year the staff did me a big a favor and blew out my yahrzeit candle. I had carefully put it on a saucer in the kitchen sink of our suite.

brisker – a young lady of today should know many of these things – long before she is a kallah. She has to know how the human body functions so that she might know if there is something wrong with hers. As a former nurse, I can tell you that many people seek medical attention too late to be helped due to ignorance of normal bodily functions. Waiting until you are a kallah, G-d forbid, could be too late.

This sounds like “speed dating” which was invented several years ago by a rabbi to address the issue of a shortage of ways for eligible Jewish people to meet one another. Naturally it was such a good idea that it has been adopted by the world at large.

WIY – the ptcha is probably the healthiest of all the foods you mentioned. You are obviously a big fan of kosher “K” rations – kugel, kishka, kreplach, kasha, etc. Most people who have posted on this thread are looking for healthier alternatives to serve their spouses – something to do with preventing blocked arteries, which is very common amongst Ashkenazis. Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean boring eating and if you eat well on a regular basis, then it is okay to “pig out” (you should pardon the expression) at a simcha. BTW, lately I have become a big fan of simchas where the entree is fish. I am not the biggest fish eater in the world but when fish is the main course, they can use real whipping cream at the pastry table and I am a huge fan of whipping cream. I find that most of the pareve creams resemble and taste like I imagine shaving cream would. They are usually equally as unhealthy.

I have quite a confession to make – I am halfway through my 60’s and not only have I never made cholent, I have never even tasted it. From the posted comments, I am still unsure whether or not I am missing something in my life. I know that a lot of shuls serve it for kiddush on Shabbas, but at my shul they serve dairy – either knishes, kugel, blintzes, perogies or egg and tuna salad.

Go for a walk or car ride and then for ice cream or cappucino.

Go to lecture or cultural event on a topic that you both find interesting.

Visit a museum or art gallery.

Go window shopping in an ethnically different area than you live in – Chinatown, Italian or Greek district.

Go to a store and amuse each other by both trying on silly hats – for this activity you must be agile enough to beat a hasty retreat.

Just enjoy each other’s company.

A tutor who tooted the flute

Tried to tutor two tooters to toot

Said the two to the tutor

Is it harder to toot

Or to tutor two tooters to toot

Shabbat Shalom friends

It is Parsha Lech Lecha

Shavuah Tov omeyn

“This theory has not been proven as fact at all”

Memo – then how do you explain the fact human dna and primate dna is almost identical?

shlomozalman – I don’t know whether or not you are married, but if you are I doubt that your wife would care to be just part of a functional arrangement. Marriage is a partnership even if the main function of the partnership is to have children. Does it mean an immediate divorce if there are fertility issues that cannot be solved (yes, even in today’s day and age some cannot)?

“Why isn’t there a special name for the tops of your feet?”

Actually there is – it is called the dorsum. Which reminds me, why can I remember an almost useless tidbit of info like that from my nursing school days in the 70’s but I cannot remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday or to pay the phone bill on time? Why, why, why???

“you left a bunch of stuff by me the last time you were here…a bib,a pair of tzitzis…AND A LONG BLUE SOCK”

Eclipse – this is the first CR post that has made me laugh out loud. Thanks for making my day.

“Who cares “why” conservative or reform or feminist apikorsum did this or that? “

I happen to care very much and consider this a valid question. As a Conservative woman who attends minyan daily, this is an important issuefor me. When the shuls became egalitarian it took me many years to come to terms with the idea. Now I happen to be in favor of it and enjoy my davening and aliyot and occasionally reading from the Torah. It is not your place to cast aspersions on me or my beliefs – I have done nothing to you. People like you are divisive to Klal Yisroel. Would you prefer that I never attend shul or light Shabbas candles or continue taking Judaic study programs, etc, etc, just because being frum is not an option for me. If it is your lifestyle, I am happy for you and I have no desire to change your beliefs or to “convert” you to my way of life. I would appreciate the same courtesy. I am Jewish – just the same as you are.

SJS: You said: “I would love to be on a scholarship committee. I would show people how to reduce their luxuries and pay the right amount. “

Let me assure you that sitting on the tuition committee of any Hebrew day school is a thankless and frustrating task. Contrary to what you think, you would not be able to point out cost cutting measures to the parents. Your job would be to review the tax returns and forms submitted by the parents and use the already established formulae to determine the fees to be paid by the family for the coming school year. If families do not wish to supply this information they are assessed the full price of tuition. Even if you know that certain families live very luxurious lifestyles, you are obliged to deal only with the submitted information – and then you must be shtum about the entire transaction as it is confidential. I doubt that you want this job. I always feel sort of sorry for any accountants that have kids in a school, because they are always asked to be on the committee.