A Smooth Jazz Shabbat Shalom!

A Smooth Jazz Shabbat Shalom to all!

A little song.

A little dance. 

We’re back in the groove. 

Thank G-d for Friday, because then comes Shabbat! 😉

(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)

Frog Ready To Spring

Cool photo of this frog in motion and ready to spring.

You can really see his leg muscles in action.

It’s amazing all the different and wonderful creatures that Hashem has created.

Thank you G-d for this amazing world you have created for us.  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

We Have To Pray Just To Make It One Day

So as we have done for ages…

We pray.

We weep.

We bless. 

We request.

We thank.  

We only control what we say and do.

The rest is in G-d’s merciful, blessed hands. 😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Singing Frankie The Fish + Happy Engagement Day

At the fish counter at Seven Mile Market in Baltimore, they had Frankie the Fish singing away.

Give me that fish…if it were you in that sandwich you wouldn’t be laughing at all.

And most important today is I am singing because of a very happy day:

Thank you Hashem on the the engagement of Minna and Nafi! 

(Credit Video: Andy Blumenthal)

Happy Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day to my dear, beautiful, and special mom!

Even though it’s been 6 years since you passed over to Heaven, I can still see you here with me today. 

The love and caring you showed for me, my sister, and Dad as well as the grandchildren filled all of our lives. 

You always worked hard for the family and to do your best. 

Life was not always easy especially coming with your parents from the Holocaust. 

Yet, I never doubted for a moment that our family was the world for you.

And both you and Dad still mean the world to me and I know you both are with me always. 

I can feel it!

Happy Mother’s Day–we love you!  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Doctor Is Out!

So one huge downside to this Coronavirus shutdown is that you can barely get any help for other medical conditions or elective surgeries. 

I just heard this morning from a relative about family members that can’t get shots they need for pain control or surgeries for breathing problems.

Everything now is COVID-19.

That’s the priority (maybe all of the top ten priorities)!

But does it really make sense to completely triage COVID-19 above Cancer, Heart Disease, Respiratory Disease, Strokes, Alzheimers, Diabetes, Kidney Disease, Liver Disease, Parkinson’s, and more. 

Coronavirus patients are who the hospital and ICU beds are for now. 

And the respirators. 

The testing. 

The new research dollars. 

Perhaps, the global medical community has gone a little Coronavirus crazy, extreme, radical, overboard in their singular focus, panic, and chaos over just one virus to the exclusion of everything else!

Apparently, our totally “overwhelmed” medical system can’t “walk and chew gum at the same time.”

Certainly, we have a lot to be grateful for to the dedicated and selfless doctors and nurses in the medical community for everything they are doing to help people with Coronavirus under very trying circumstances.

The problem is that in the meantime, people that have new or other chronic conditions are being left out and sometimes to rot. 

Unless of course you are a big fan of telemedicine, which may be good to get something routine looked after, but something major, and I think you’re in big trouble. 

After this Coronavirus (assuming there is an after), there is going to be a lot of pent up demand for medical care. 

I think a lot of people are suffering now with conditions that they were waiting to take care of until they were absolutely necessary, but unfortunately when it became necessary, then the care was not there. 

Makes you wonder whether and when you should do or put off medical procedures in the future: just because the care is there “today,” doesn’t mean it will be there tomorrow. 😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Count Your Blessings

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, “Count Your Blessings.”

I just wanted to share a short reflection with everything going on in the world these days with coronavirus and the economic shutdown: I see people are scared and confused, under lockdown and feeling financial strain, and many are getting sick and dying. But I remember the words of my dear father who used to say: “Count Your Blessings!” And he was so right. There are so many things, literally every moment of every day, for us to be grateful for:

Certainly, we all face extreme difficulties or challenges at times in our lives, but things can always be so much worse, and there is still so much for us to be grateful for. Therefore, truly thank you G-d with a hundred blessings—and more—for every moment of every precious day. And we affirm that surely the L-rd who created us will continue to sustain us, and that ultimately all will be for the good.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

O – Change The World – O

Change the world…by changing your attitude.

Life is Beautiful!

It’s a gift.

Every day is renewal and opportunity. 

 

Everything is for the best. 

Believe it.  Live it.  And share it.

A smile and a positive attitude is contagious in a good way!

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Jews, The People of Thanksgiving

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, “Jews, The People of Thanksgiving.”

This week was Thanksgiving (חג ההודיה), but for Jews we are already called, “The People of Thanksgiving. “We are named יהודים (Yehudim) after יהודה (Yehudah), the son of Isaac and Leah because Leah said (Genesis 29:35): “הפעם אודה את יהיה.” (“This time let me thank G-d”). Also as Jews, we are not just called the People of  Thanksgiving, but we are actively supposed to say 100 blessings a day thanking G-d, so in the true sense of the word, everyday is Thanksgiving Day for the Jewish people.

Jews are the People of Thanksgiving not only on Thanksgiving, but every day of the year. We are thankful for being the chosen people and for our redemption and return to the Promised Land of Israel; we are thankful for the life and opportunities that G-d has given to us; we are thankful in good times and G-d forbid, in the bad times; and we are thankful because, yes, ultimately everything from G-d is for the good.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Thanksgiving 2019: Inspirational Story

(Credit Video: Dannielle Blumenthal of Andy Blumenthal)