SEGOL

My son and daughter have been telling me they don't like their bed, so I asked my oldest first if he wants to switch beds with his sister and he said yes, then I asked my daughter in front of him and she said yes, so yesterday we changed the sheets, and we took down the pictures that were by their bed. The above tape was on my son's picture to hold it to the wall, and he said it looks like a SEGOL, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segol.  I was so proud, he is learning to read and write Hebrew in his class, and his brain recognizes the vowels, not just some random placing of tape.

I feel so blessed that my kids are learning the language of my ancestors, my husband is Israeli and speaks Hebrew to his family, but since I do not speak it, I speak Russian, we speak English in the home.  I wish he would speak to them too, but luckily they hear it all around them, and I try to do the best I can with what I know.  I love my community, I love that my children are growing up with the traditions of the Jewish people, and it will be their roots, just like they were mine.  When we immigrated from Russia to Denver, Colorado, my parents decided that we should go to a Jewish school or we would not get a Jewish education.  Hillel Academy instilled in me the language, holidays, and traditions and I am grateful that when I met my husband, everything really felt like coming back home.

Below is an amazing video about the power of Shabbat, a day of rest, stepping off the world, being grateful for everything that you have, enjoying the moment.

It is rare to be completely present,
Shabbat allows us to focus on family, community, and the pleasures of life, learning, and spirituality,
Thank God,
I don't know how I would function without it,
Shabbat Shalom,
Coach Yulia