Bar Mitzvah, rugby and family get together.

The weekend was filled with all sorts of activities.



On Saturday morning we were invited to a second Bar Mitzvah. H. had to go to the airport with the kids to pick up the In-laws arriving from Dubai, so he missed the occasion. As a dedicated Christian and having grown up in a Christian home, I had absolutely no idea what to expect of the occasion. Just for background, you get a second Bar Mitzvah when you are 83 - 70 years (three score and 10 according to the Torah) after your first Bar Mitzvah at age 13. This was the second Bar Mitzvah of our old business partner - a person for whom I have a lot of respect and who has always shown respect and compassion for my religious beliefs. He attended our wedding and the kid's christenings. So I attended my first Bar Mitzvah. It was also his granddaughter from Nieuw Zeeland's Bat Mitzvah. I found the experience extremely interesting and moving - the music beautiful and the community spirit uplifting. I could not help thinking that we are praying to the same God - the God of Israel who has made us all His children. (don't understand me wrong - I am absolutely dedicated to the love and grace of Jesus - but this felt like "family")


I was absolutely stunned to find a female Rabbi presiding ! Yes, she is American and this is a Progressive Jewish congregation - apparently working towards a non discriminatory and sexist Jewish congregation. And it is only in South African that you find a black boy with a nice Rastafarian hairdo that is a Jew! Yes, he was adopted by a Jewish family as a baby and is a full blown member of the congregation - his Bar Mitzvah was 2 years ago. What I really liked was the concept of "generation to generation" - Nedor vahdor ( do not know how to spell that!) The Torah was passed on from grandfather, to father and to daughter -as the Rabbi explained, the past, the present and the future of the faith. After a 2 and a half hour service, it was time for the big party. Gosh, the most incredible food and not a spot of meat (due to Kosher rules) in sight. I had so much sushi, I think I had my fill for the next 2 moths or so. And the chocolate fountain for dessert was an absolute favourite. Strawberries in Belgian chocolate is just stunning. I also need to add that this weekend was extremely cold for Pretoria. The clever wife of the "Bar Mitzvah boy" had a small knee blanket for every woman embroidered with his name.

I returned home to find all in a very festive mood - the Springboks (South Africa) won the All Blacks (Nieuw Zeeland) in a rugby test on Nieuw Zeeland home ground. This was great reason to celebrate and the usual braai followed that night.

Little man L sitting on gran's feet - watching rugby and Little man C sitting in dad's lap and contemplating a sip of daddy's beer.

On Sunday we had a small family get together at Auntie Tina and Uncle Bert's. This is my MIL's sister and her hubby. The kids love them and Auntie Anne-marie, their daughter. We had a lovely brunch with croissants, vetkoek (fried dough balls), quiche, and lots of fillings. Sunday was really cold so The Boys got to wear their very seldom used Pumpkin Parch parkas, hats and gloves.

Auntie Tina has every little girls dream - a whole couch full of teddie bears. The Little Miss always has a lot of fun playing with them - her favourite, off course, the pink bear.

She also had great fun chasing the geese (and in return being chased by them). She calls the little bolero she is wearing her marshmallow top - very descriptive.



The she and Oupa helped Uncle Bert to pick naartjies (tangerines) and lemons for us to take home.


And her best friends for the day were the two Labrador/Pyrenees mountain dog cross puppies- yes, they are only puppies - 8 months old. Still growing!

And on Sunday night the puking started - and is still continuing with The Boys joining in yesterday and last night.