A BIG BROTHER CAN BE A USEFUL THING It was a different sort of night a few years after we arrived in Florida and Wendy was old enough to go out with boys. Some new “friends” stopped by to ask her to go for a ride with them. I wasn’t home so Wendy asked Stephen if it would be all right. Stephen walked over to the car and noticed a gun on the seat. That was all he needed. Wendy wasn’t going anywhere. There had been two killings of teenagers at the time and I still believe that Stephen saved Wendy’s life. WENDY’S CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS TRAINING As good parents we were anxious to have our children learn about their Jewish heritage and religion. So every day I would drive Wendy a long way to and from the synagogue where she was to learn these important subjects. With everything else I had to do it took a lot of time and ener- gy. I recently learned that instead of going to her lessons, she and her friends skipped classes and goofed off after I dropped her off. Wendy is too old to be grounded now but I am still tempted to try. WENDY’S TRAINING PAYS OFF I don’t think it is to atone for her youthful indiscre- tions but for the last seventeen weeks in succession my daughter, Wendy, has been making the Sabbath dinner. That is a big deal. Wendy and Max have three children, Joseph, Jessica and Abigail. Abigail attends a private school where they learn a lot of Hebrew and Jewish prayers. She appreciates learning about Jewish traditions. I will tell you about her memorable Bat Mitzvah later. A while back Abigail asked her mother to make Sabbath dinner. That was seventeen weeks ago. Wendy is the one who stirs the pot in our family. On top of raising her kids she also heads up all marketing and sales for Global Response. That is no small task. She is like the proverbial busy person you can always count on to handle one more difficult assignment. About six o’clock on Friday evening all the kids and grownups start looking forward to the Sabbath dinner. There are sometimes from thirty to forty people at these dinners. WENDY BEGINS TO DELEGATE Here is how she does it: “Okay, who wants to go to Boca to the deli and bring home the matzo balls?”
“Who wants to sauté the vegetables? Who wants to set the table? Mom, you make the best artichokes. Who wants to go to Boston Market for the chicken? Who wants to make the rice? Who wants to bring the sweet potatoes? Who wants to bring the wine? Who wants to buy the challah bread? Who wants to bring dessert?” And it goes on and on. There’s fruit and other things. Now the kitchen is full of people. Wendy loves to have fun and everyone is laughing and having a good time while they are all helping with the preparations. There is a lot of commotion in the kitchen and at the table. By now it is going on eight o’clock. The candles are lit and the prayer is said for lighting the candles. Then the prayer is said for the challah. The prayer for the wine is sung. Max says a special prayer for the children. The best part of the evening is when Wendy asks each and every one at the table to tell, one at a time, what the best day of the past week was and the happi- est thing that happened. Lots of giggles. Then there is another round in which each one says what the worst thing that happened last week. More giggles.
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