ISAACS FAMILY NEWSLETTER – June 2014

 As children, any vaguely “adult” behavior would draw vicious accusations from school-mates of having a “one-track mind”. I never understood the innuendo but one-track-mindedness, whatever that was, was clearly a bad thing.

 A mutant of “one-track mindititis” is an inability to multi-task – a condition diagnosed in approximately 3 billion males across the globe including me. And why do I tell you this? Because as I type, I am sitting in an aisle seat of  LY zero zero something returning from a lightning trip to Dallas, Texas where I made a 25 minute presentation that took me off all other work for three near-sleepless days and flights.

 After the presentation, I had 90 minutes to myself in downtown Dallas, luggage in tow, before heading to the airport for the home run. I discovered myself walking-distance from the Grassy Knoll and the museum in the 6^th floor of the building from where Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly shot President JF Kennedy. I ran round the Museum (which is worth a longer visit), and shot (with a camera) Oswald’s view of the President’s cavalcade. Another “must visit” tourist site ticked off.

 The 15-minute walk to the site of the assassination was dumbfounding. Among the 40 or so people I passed were businessmen,  tourists, teenagers, and also a drunk, two junkies, and three what they call in Hebrew “תמהונים” including one gentleman who had removed his clothing (he needed psychiatric care). All that in one 15-minute walk. I hope that’s not a representative sample of Dallas.

 Change of gear to the family updates.

 Elisheva and the 9 year Kissing war

On Friday nights after Kiddush we bless the children with the traditional -  ברכת הבנים - as my father blessed me, and his father blessed him, his father blessed him and so on all the way back to Moses. With one nuance. After each blessing, each child gets a “peck” on each cheek. Elisheva (9)  invented a game whereby at the end of the bracha, she covers her cheeks tightly with both hands and runs away to prevent me giving her a kiss. I have to chase after her, grab her arms and (theatrically) wrench her hands from her cheeks while she employs all tactics possible to prevent me kissing her. She digs an exposed cheek into the couch or shakes her head rapidly from side to side. When I eventually land a big noisy sloppy kiss on one side, that’s only half-time. Again she takes flight and I race after her. This time, she has both hands to protect the chaste unkissed cheek, making my task twice as difficult. I release one hand, the other covers the cheek. I free the second hand, the first one takes up the defense again. This game can last several minutes and is accompanied by grunting and giggling. The more exhausting and protracted the struggle, the more Elisheva enjoys it. And each time we play, I dedicate the fun and games to the memory of my Mother who will be known for eternity as the originator of the concept “Other side’s jealous”.

 Ari the Argumentative

Ari has again been chosen to represent Israel in the European student Debating competition, taking place this year in Croatia. Ari’s contagious enthusiasm brought two of his first cousins into the Debating addiction including my niece Yael, a rookie, who will be joining him in Croatia. Like father, like son – finding ways for all expenses paid trips abroad.

 Elon - Working Holidays

While Judy, Ari, Abigail and Elisheva are counting the days till the end of semester and the freedom of the summer holidays, Elon is bracing himself for two busy months when children roam the malls with time to kill and hopefully money to buy his tricks. The hours he works are inhuman. Every mall day involves leaving the house at 8am and returning after 10.30pm. And at home he still has to prepare equipment for the next day. Through the summer he can potentially work every day. I hope he learns to strike a work-life balance. I was well over 30 before I discovered workaholism is not a virtue. (Now I am a lazy bugger).   

 Naphtali has an idea

I can’t tell you what it is, because it’s his Intellectual Property. But it’s quite a good idea. And in this world, sometimes all you need is one idea. (Mark Zuckerberg had the idea of sharing photographs. He did alright). Naphtali has drawn up 3-D designs and met with plastics and electronics experts. I helped him comb the Internet and patents but we found nothing, which hopefully means his idea is unique (or silly). Might there be a second entrepreneur in the family? Another start-up in the making? I doubt it. Naphtali’s idea requires mass manufacturing of an electronic device, not something he or we can budget this month. But if any bigshot from Samsung, Apple, HTC or other mobile phone manufacturer is looking for an inexpensive differentiating cool idea, they could do themselves a big favour by giving Napthali a call. Oh. And say I referred you.

 Orly’s Delayed Gap Year

After 2 years of national service, 12 years of school and 3 years of kindergarten – on the trot - Orly says it’s time for a year off – a chance to do what she wants, before getting into the rodent race of studying-working-retirement. Okay. I can understand that. Discussions around her gap year tend to go like this. ”What do you want to do? Travel?” “No”. “Study?”  No. “Learn (Jewish studies)?” No”. “Work?” “No”. “Then What?” “Dance”. “For a year?” “Not full time!” “And the rest of the time?” “Don’t know”. I guess not a few of the parents reading these lines have conducted similar discussions with their offspring. I’m not concerned. I have 30 years on Orly and I still don’t know what the hell I want to do with my Life.

 Abigail

My mother used to say I was an easy baby. One day I was born; the next thing she knew, I was three years old. Never believed her, of course, but it was a sweet things to say. I would say the same thing about Abigail. No trouble at all - except when you send her to bed or tell her to do homework. Fortunately my children rarely read my newsletters so they will never know of this confession…there were times when I would start my homework at midnight.  The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…

 Landing in 15 minutes. Have to go.

Lots of love

Michael, Judy, Ari, Elon, Naphtali, Orly, Abigail, Elisheva

Elkana