Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Coffee Talk

First Tuesday of the month starting August 4, I am  sitting at the Java Love Cafe in Sedona to meet anyone who wishes to come speak to me.  My friend, Angela LeFevre, who serves on our local Sedona City Council, also will be available for people to ask her questions. We set up two adjoining tables, and people came first to one of us, then switched to the other, and asked all kinds of questions.  To me, they wanted to know about the Blood Moon ( I had to look that one up!!) as well as questions about a spiritual path and how Judaism teaches awareness of time.  Great discussion of "sacred time."  To Angela, they posed questions about whether it is a good thing or not to have Sedona designated a National Monument. I look forward to the next informal meeting at the cafe, Sept. 1.
Rabbi Alicia Magal in Red Rock Rabbi cap and holding Jewish Community of Sedona mug

Terrie Frankel, standing on left, came by. Hubbetzin Itzhak Magal standing on right checked that I was ok.
Angela LeFevre is sitting between Itzhak and me.
We combined tables for this photo at one moment during the Coffee Talk visit. 

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

 Subject: surprise Sunday adventure 8.3.15

Daughter Alicia  writes:  My mother Nika has been sending me emails nearly each day, describing her adventures of meeting people at the marina on her walks, at the library, at the lake… and each encounter was special, warm, a real connection with young people who bought her book From Miracle to Miracle: A Story of Survival, or came over to visit at her studio, or just had a “moment.”  This day was different, started out with a slightly down feeling, but ended “up”….  I am sending out this blog and conserving some of her breathless punctuation.. rarely a comma or period, just a series of dashes.   

Nika’s report:
The day started not well-   being tired  and  kind of missing my whole  family –feeling  blue.  
        
After my afternoon nap felt much better, and decided to go to our air-conditioned library- always a great pleasure for me. 
Neomi helped me with my cell phone -  always  so friendly- Joyce always ready with a solution to any problem-  love that place.
No swimming to day  too hot   -  so decided  to return home. As I was driving something made me turn to the Book Store Restaurant-  the pull  was  very strong  for no apparent reason. Well I can always eat  something and enjoy  the bay   -  why not.
To my total surprise  I found a big party going on -  asked  the waiter  the reason-Carol’s  80 Birthday.
WOW-   Remember  this lovely place  for so many years  - today  first time  met  Carol’s beautiful  granddaughters Taylor  and Morgan  and  the father Todd (Norwegian  descent).
  
I only knew Carol Ann the daughter  and her son with a pony tail….
In 1948 when I first arrived  in Wellfleet and fell in love with Cape Cod I saw a used book store and magazines in a small building on Mayo Beach.  The owner to my surprise spoke Polish  - although both his wife and he - retired policeman -were Lithuanian.
 
I was curious to see what went on in US while we were fighting, starving in Warsaw  and found 3 Life magazines describing  activities in  '40-43 years here in America..  I started crying-  when I realized no one had any idea what we were going through in Poland  - Europe-  they had Ms. America contest.  
This started my friendship with  the family and book store restaurant became my second home through nearly 70 summers.

Today I had to be there to sing 100 years  (sto lat in Polish) to Carol  - best wishes  and delighted  to have met  the younger generation  .

Best wishes from my 4  generations  -  my husband  Fred Fleissig loved  the place.
Duzo  calusow  (many kisses) from 95 year old  smiling Nika Kohn Fleissig and my whole family.


Alicia adds:  You can look up on the internet  Life Magazine Covers 1940… one can see them all but cannot copy them.
Some of the covers for 1940 were Silk shawls in fashion,   Girl lifeguard, Vacations on a sailboat, Roosevelt wins 3rd term, girl in heart and flowers hat entitled Floral Valentines, Fancy ranch duds, Ginger Rogers, Lana Turner, Party season, ’British in Egypt....
The 1942 selection of covers is very different: These covers reflect America’s engagement in war: Nursing shortage, Coastal defense, Air force women’s auxiliary, US warplanes, USO singer and soldier, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Bombardier school, dancing in frilly frock Joan Leslie,  Eye-catcher hats, Short coats (lots of leg showing),   so fashion and film were still considered cover-worthy. Really fascinating – check out 1943… one cover features a POW’s wife. War was a reality but kind of far away for Americans.





- Nika Fleissig

Please Read My Blog Here:
http://www.lifebeginsat90.blogspot.com/

Order our book, From Miracle To Miracle: A Story of Survival (via PayPal):
http://www.FromMiracleToMiracle.com

Please view my art here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikafleissig/

 
Rabbi Alicia Magal www.jcsvv.org

928 204-1286
blog:
http://www.redrockrabbi.blogspot.com


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Mission Statement:
The Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley is a welcoming, egalitarian, inclusive congregation dedicated to building a link from the past to the future by providing religious, educational, social and cultural experiences. We choose to remain unaffiliated in order to respect and serve the rich diversity of our members and visitors.