My Name is Nachman, and I Don't Stutter

Her name is Tamuz. There, I said it. She was born in the US, but is an Israeli. She sings. She is adorable. She did better than me on the S.A.T. When I revealed her existence (or at least her connection to me), Esta asked 2 questions. The first one was brilliant:

Is she Jewish?

Then Mom gave me some very sweet advice: Keep it Light. {insert cacophony of guffaws here}
Well, beloved friends, any of you who have spent any time here at wanderingstu HQ know that it ain't so easy for this stu to "Keep it Light." But I try....

For example- on Sunday we are going shopping at the mall and to see a bad American movie. How's that for light?? I'm hoping to find an Orange Julius.

But this is the point:
Walking Tamuz home tonite after the Opera (!!!), we were stopped three times by people in cars asking how to get to the Kotel (the Western Wall). Of course, we were on the opposite side of town, but folks enter Jerusalem, make the wrong turn, and end up down by us. No sweat. Small city, easy drive. The first two requests were little hatchbacks filled with secular Sefardi guys in their early 20s. The final request was from a bunch of religious guys.

After saying goodnite to Tamuz, I returned via the same route, along a wooded path overlooking an old old monastery, the Kenesset building and the Israel Museum (home of the Dead Sea Scrolls). When I hit the big intersection, I was summoned again to give directions. This time to the Liberty Bell Park. And this time, it was a bunch of secularish Sefardi kids, all wearing giant kippot, and two of them specifically with Na-Nach-Nachma-Nachman MeUman Kippot.

These Sefardi kids love to wear these Nachman kippot, and sing Breslover songs, and act like Chasids. It's crazy. Tamuz and I met a pack of them on a school trip in Nachlaot (my Holy Neighborhood). All the guys had the Nachman Kippah. And they love to speak with the heavy Ashkenazi accent-- "You are Breslev?"

But I miss the best part-- this car full of Sefardi pseudo-Breslover kids was driven by a Sefardi pseudo-Brelover MIDGET!!!!!!!!!! And that dude was the leader of the gang. Hot stuff, kids-- only in Jerusalem.

By the way, the whole Na-Nach thing started many years ago when Rabbi Israel Ber Odesser didn't fast properly on the Fast of Tamuz. Feast or famine, baby.

A Gmar Chatimah Tovah to all of you-- which means-- May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for Blessing, Happiness, Length of Days and Health.

I wish you all a profound and meaningful fast.