My Shabbat Experience in the Chabad

On the Road Again

We were on our way to the prayer and dinner. Amanda's flying to Botswana in a few months. Discussion of this led to discussion of airlines. Of course talk of Malaysian airlines occurred, and then Josh brought up the Korean airline accident.

Josh "Yeah, the Korean Airline plane accident was on the news, but no one proofread the information. So they said the names of the pilots were 'Wi Tu Lo,' 'Bang Ding Ow,' and 'Ho Lee Fuk.'" We all started laughing except Amanda. 

Amanda "Wait... I get the last one. But can someone explain Wi Tu Lo and Bang Ding Ow?"

-Silence-

Mama L. "Well, these are the names of the pilots, so the first one is about the plane...We too low?"

Amanda "What?"

Me "The plane was flying too low!"  

Amanda "Ohhh.... And what about Bang Ding Ow?"

Me "Those are noises you make when you crash!"

Josh "♪ Bang! The word that follows So! Ding a drop of golden bread! ♫"

Nice to Meet You

The Chabad Amanda goes to set up so that men sit on the left and women sit on the right. Girls are required to wear skirts (knee length or longer) and men wear yamakas. Amanda's parents began introducing us to some of the adults, and one Jewish man wearing a bright cranberry yamaka and whose skin was tan, thick, and dotted with several moles took particular interest in me. (Later, he told me he fought in Vietnam aging him to about 70.) His name's *Harry.

Harry "Where are you from?" 

Me "San Jose, California."

Harry "Hmm?"

Me "California-"

Harry "Oh, California! Not somewhere like... South Korea or Vietnam?" (He chuckles to himself.) "Well I know many Asian women." 

Me "I bet you do." (I smile big and chuckle to myself.) (Sometimes I can't control my sarcasm.)

Thank God prayers started. 

There were around 15 women and 15 men. Between the rows of seats was a six foot tall wooden book shelf serving as a divider. Apparently, women are not allowed to sit in the same seats as men because they may make the chair dirty (if they're on their period). The Rabbi began singing in Hebrew. He had brown hair atop his head and cascading down his face in a thick beard. In place of a yamaka was a black hat, and he wore a long coat. I tried to follow along with the (many) songs in the prayer book. It was exciting trying to keep up (luckily, the symbols were also written in sounded-out-english). 

Following the prayer, we went to the dining room and sang more. We drank grape juice out of tiny Daisy brand cups. Then, the Rabbi recommended we wash our hands. The sink was located outside; it was a faucet that flowed into a large black marble bowl. Next to the faucet, there was a long handled cup. I turned on the sink and let water flow about half way. Then, I poured water over my right hand 3 times and over my left hand 3 times as well. 

When I walked back to the dining table, some adults began haphazardly covering loaves of bread with paper napkins. Amanda's dad explained to me, "We drank the wine first. The napkins are so that the loaves of bread don't get embarrassed! We don't want them to think they're not important." 

There was more singing, and we ate the bread. (I ate a tiny piece because the gluten free thing). Then, we went to get food. I was so excited to eat the salad and beef patties because I was ravenous at this point. In addition, I really wanted some Diet Coke, so I began walking up to the other side of the table. Unfortunately, Harry caught up to me.

"You know, I love Asian women." (Oh, dear God in heaven.) (I smiled awkwardly). "I work with a girl who's an immigrant from Vietnam. Genius! Fullbright scholar. Went to Stanford. Grad school at Duke. Post-doc at Harvard. But she has no street smarts!" 

"Oh, haha.. wow," I replied.

"Her name's CJ. Her actual name's Cynthia but she HATES that."

Then he started telling me a story about how they play tennis. "She has an arm like Serena Williams! But sometimes she just falls over."

"Oh no!" 

"Yeah, you know I've been to Vietnam!"

"For vacation?" I ask.

He stares at me dumbfounded. "No! I was in the war!"

"Like, in the seventies?" I ask.

"Yeah, well the treaty was signed in 75 so early 70's. But anyway, I can tell you lots of stories about the war!" (Please don't.) (He didn't because more prayers were about to happen.)

"Oh, wow..." I feigned interest.

"What your name anyway?" 

"Angel."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA." (He actually tilts back and cankers out these howling HA's.) 

"You're literally the rudest human I've ever met!" (Just kidding, I didn't say that.) "Why are you laughing?" (I had to ask.)

"Oh, it's nothing." (He chuckles). "Well, you should eat."

"I was going to." (I chuckle because I'M STARVING. Then, I reach past him, steal the Diet Coke bottle, and race away.) 

I wasn't the only one who got subtly smacked by racism. Amanda's dad was verbally tickled as well. He was talking to two adults who asked where he was from.

"I'm from Russia."

"Oh, no! Really? You don't seem to have the accent," said the well-meaning husband.

"He does. I can definitely hear it," the wife interjected. 

Stump the Rabbi

Everyone introduced himself/herself and then asked the Rabbi a question. Adib asked a good question about Jewish laws and whether they can be changed. Others asked about forgiving dead souls and what makes a soul so evil that after death, relatives should pray 12 months instead of 11. I asked about the significance of a Rabbi's beard. (He was kind of tipsy at this point and told me "It's like a uniform... or a costume!" An old man at the table looked at him quizzically. "You know, like how you can tell a firefighter from a police officer.") And Amanda's mom asked about whether g-d will be okay if she doesn't clean the entire house because Mr. Broken Leg (Josh) is making life more difficult to handle. She and Rabbi's wife started gabbing about cheerios getting everyone! The Rabbi's wife "Yeah, my kids like to spread their... love everywhere." She has six kids and definitely knows the feeling. "I'd say do your best. It's the effort g-d will see. I tell my kids before tests, 'Put in the effort. As for the grade, worry about that later.'" Rabbi "I think you just gave her a free pass!" Then, Amanda asked about how evolution fits into the story of creation. (Bio nerd!)

"If Jews believe the earth is 5,775 years old, how does our religion explain dinosaurs?"

Rabbi "Good question- this can be explained because God created a mature earth. You know dinosaur bones can be carbon dated to millions of years old, it's because Earth already had them. Like, when God created the Earth, you could take a tree and cut the rings because the tree was already create thirty years old. It was mature." 

Then, Maddie asked, "Who decided it was 5,775 years old."

Rabbi "God created on the first day 5,775 years ago-"

Rabbi's wife "That's not what she's asking. She knows that creation began that long ago, but who.. kept track."

Rabbi "Oh.... well... in the same way, it's like, how do really know today's Friday? But that's... hmm..."

Old man "I think she stumped the Rabbi!" 

Scene: Dining Room

Scene:
Amanda, Adib, and I are studying in the dining room. Papa L. is cleaning the dishes in the kitchen while Josh is singing in the living room. Mama L. is coming down the stairs.
Mama L.: "Now they have to wait till it's this late to fight over the bathroom! Vlad, tell Maddie she should shower in the morning!"
Papa L.: "MADDIE!" (Shouts to upstairs) "YOU SHOULD SHOWER IN THE MORNING!"
Amanda: "UGH!" (Trying to do homework in the dining room) "Can everyone be QUIET?"
Maddie: "I need to brush my teeth!" (shouts to downstairs)
Papa L.: "Isn't that a benzophaliene?" (Looks at Amanda's homework)
Amanda: "Dad! That's not a benzophaliene! That's a cephlophaline!" (those aren't actual words)
Mama L.: "The benzenes are always greener!" (to the tune of Under the Sea)
Amanda: "Can't we just have some silence?! I'm trying to do my homework! I should have asked for noise-cancelling headphones for my birthday!"
Me: "You got pants!"
Mama L.: "Amanda! Take your pants off the counter! They'll get cat hair on them!"
Amanda: "I said I'd do that later! They don't have cat hair on them now..."
Mama L.: "But they're new..."
Josh: "This is the SONG THAT NEVER ENDS!" (sings and clanks crutches to the floor)
Amanda: Can you just stop singing! Why isn't there a place in the house that is completely silent!?!?
Adib: I can take everyone's noise. It's Amanda's complaining that makes me annoyed!
Josh: (Turns on sink. The wall starts thumping rapidly.)
Mama L: Josh!
Josh: That's not me! That's Maddie turning on the shower!" (Josh turns on the faucet more and the thumping gets worse)
Mama L: "Josh, STOP THAT!"
Amanda: Why does everyone in our family have to sing?
Papa L.: "You know I got BOSE headphones. From my work. They were doing constructions at the office and I got angry so they got me $300 headphones!"
Amanda: "Can I get headphones? Cause I'm getting ANGRY!"
Mama L. "AMANDA! YOUR PANTS!"
Amanda: "Shut up, Mom!!!"
Me: "Amanda... don't say shut up to your mommy...."
Papa L.: "Aw.. pumpkin."
Mama L: I'd like an apology. And why don't you talk to your grandma!"
Josh: (singing under the sea)

That time I went through a storm for a long-sleeved crop top

Brandy Melville is a CA girl staple store. This means a girl in search of the 90's grunge-inspired, laid-back, cool girl effect will wind up with a BM top in their repertoire. I'm obsessed with the trend. I'm not the trendiest gal, but after finding a cozy long-sleeved one-size fits all (which usually is a pain, but worked delectably this time around) grey stretch-fabric number at a gently-used clothing store over Winter Break, I re-fell in love. I'd been into the trend summer 2013 when it was obsessed with floral crop tops and loose hoodies. After months in middle-of-know-where upstate NY college, seeing the Brandy Melville word art on a window caused me to relapse HARD. But not hard enough...

I saw this cute semi-cropped ribbed marble-colored long-sleeve top and tried it on immediately. The sleeves were stretchy and the top form-fit in the best way. But it was $21 and eh... do I really need another basic?

My lovely Bostonian-native friend and my boyfriend continued our journey through the Boston shopping district. We went through a comic store (nerd paradise!) and Nike (where my boyfriend was in awe by the funky-colored sneaks). However, after each store, my thoughts traced back to the Brandy Melville top.

It fit like a glove. Why didn't I just buy the damn thing?

"I want to buy the shirt!" I announced to my friends at the library. By this point, we were a good twenty-minute/ten block distance away. But the sun burst through the breach of cumulus in the sky and the Asian beat boxer was outside doing his thing (beatboxing through his speakers a combo of Barbie Girl and dubstep) and I felt all the good vibes. They said they'd wait at the train station.

So I started trekking back toward BM. And suddenly, the sun disappeared. I felt a raindrop on my head.

It was the world saying, "IF YOU WANT THE SHIRT, YOU BETTER REALLY WANT IT."

Then, it started raining. Pouring. Hailing.

Everyone was caught off guard. A pair of Korean girls in hood-less sweaters were drenched. A mom pushing her baby in a stroller was disdainfully sipping her bubble tea. A man was waving around a half-bent umbrella that grew more tangled as the wind gained speed. I felt like I were about to be blown away! Outdoor mannequin displays toppled down the cement stairs. The American Apparel sign fell over as I passed by it.

I finally entered the store. The supervisors were gossiping about the weather's bipolorness. I got the last Breanne Crop Top in the store. It was the top hanging as a display.

Angel's Winter-Spring Transition Style Picks

The weather is ranging from the 30's-40's. That means the colored-khaki shorts and cropped Lulus have reemerged from Colgate student's closets, haha. For all of you who don't believe the 30's qualify as shorts temperature, you should know that last month was a rough time-- basically, everyone would cheer when the weather surpassed the negatives...

The best part about this weather is that I can finally wear my leather riding boots again! It's not quite time to store my heavy-duty 'Joan of Arctic' winter boots for good, but it's nice getting those clumpy shoes off my feet for a while.

Here are some of the cute things I love to wear during the lovely transition time between Winter and Spring in Upstate NY.

My Go-To Outfit
When I don't know what to wear, here are the basics I need to build a quick outfit.

1) Cozy Cardigan or Structured Jacket
2) Layering Tanks and Tees

3) Leggings/Jeans

4) Boots (Riding/Military/Booties/all the boots!)

5) Dainty Accessories (My personal everyday accessories are my jade studs my boyfriend gifted me from a Native American jewelry vendor in New Mexico, my Alex and Ani lady bug bangle, and my blue elephant bracelet by Cruciani.)
6) A neutral everyday bag

Transition Time Lust List

Cozy Cardis 

Apricot Long-sleeved Shawl-Inspired Cardigan by Sheinside (only $20 right now!)



Structured Jackets
Troopa Jacket by Talula, Aritzia ($130)

Talula Troopa Jacket, Aritzia ($120)

Talula Troop Jacket, $110

Talula Akasaka Jacket, $120... okay, I'm apparently obsessed with all of Aritizia's Talula line jackets

The Downtown Field Jacket by J.Crew $148 (I bought this in Navy when it was on sale in Fall! I wear this thing to death. And Michelle Obama has it)



Layering Tanks and Tees
American Eagle Outfitters ($34.99)

Fluttered Top by Anthropologie $88

Dusky Ombre Denim Top Anthropologie ($78)

Eyelit Hem-stitched peasant top by Madewell $88

Rivet and Threat Chambray Peplum Top Madewell $98

Brandy Melville Breanne Top, 21 (I actually bought this from the Boston Shopping District today!)

Leggings
Lululemon, $82


Booties
Schuler & Sons Chelsea Boots ($69, were $188) Anthropologie


Also, warm socks :)
TNA Birken Socks (haha) from Aritzia $15

Dainty Accessories
American Eagle "Opal" Necklace ($9.50)

Full Swing Bracelet by Madewell $16.50 (was $24.99)
Neutral Bag
Willa Hobo Bag by Anthropologie ($249)

It's Monday

     It's gotten to that point of the night where my ability to be productive has decreased significantly (unfortunately, it's only 9:37 PM and in my midst are a multitude of homework tidbits in need of attention). In the last half-an-hour, I a) tried to open a door from the hinged side of the frame and b) typed my password into the USERNAME box of the computer while trying to log in.

     Today was very productive... almost too productive. I woke up at 7 am (the usual) and after ten minutes of battling away the sleep in my eyes, rolled over my boyfriend still soundly asleep in the XL-twin bed we often co-inhabit. I fumbled into the bathroom, did the face wash and tooth brush thing, picked out an outfit (which my bio buddy complimented me on) and even did make-up -- all in under twenty minutes (so pro). The cruiser headed my way just as I'd waded through the semi-paved snow, my Joan of Arctic snow boots thoroughly covered by the time I walked up the bus stairs and greeted Gary, the punctual driver. I ate a gluten-free bagel and Nutella (different from my usual 7:40 craving of an egg white omelet with bacon, cheese, broccoli, and tomato). I was pretty grumpy this morning and remember silently cursing the girl in front of me at the fruit bar because she was literally taking all of the ripe strawberries. While chowing down on the best meal ever, I checked my email. My boss decided to put me in charge of making a... pregnancy brochure due ASAP. I spent the next moments before class browsing through infographic inspiration sights because the Harvard example he sent me was boring and gray (sorry, Harvard).
      Then, classes happened. Sociology was fun, I guess. We switched seats and I participated in class by answering a question about what the pros of experiments are (which is such an accomplishment for me because I'm socially awkward as SHIET). Then I half-ran to Biology (because the good seats in the front of the lecture hall get taken quickly, and this girl likes to sit in the front). I caught up to my friend Liebs on the way, and she looked like a walking purple jelly bean because of her purple puffer and purple boots (which reminds me of the all white outfit-- white khakis and off-white parka-- my boyfriend wore yesterday, which everyone laughed at during dinner because he looked like a freaking astronaut or person who didn't look in the mirror while dressing himself). In Bio, I learned about Glycolysis.
      I have this awkward hour in between the end of my 9:20 and my 11:20, so I ran errands. I went to the convenience store conveniently located like three minutes away from my class and bought cotton balls because I use them to remove my makeup at night. Then, I bought some lunch things and had an awkward 10:30 lunch of a peanut butter protein smoothie and a banana. Afterwards, I visited a professor to see if he'd received my application for Summer Research because I messed up trying to submit it on the Google Form. He interviewed me right then and there and I was glad I was feeling coherent. I talked about my limited experience with macroinvertebrates and he seemed relatively interested in this.
     In Psych, I almost frikkin passed out because that smoothie had gluten or something. Jk. I just looked up bananas on goodhousekeeping.com and they say bananas are a "Sleep Soundly" food because the magnesium and potassium are muscle and nerve relaxants. Plus, the vitamin B6 converts tryptophan into serotonin, which also increases relaxation.
     Post-psych, I ran down the hill to the art department and drew a pregnant woman on Photoshop. A dude from my art history class set next to me and asked me about reading. The last time I'd talked to him, I think, was freshman year first semester when we had a library shift at our library job together. We never really talked though... I think I asked him like, where a section of books was.
     Then, I went to drawing. No one likes to sit with me... like, I have a desk by myself while everyone else is crammed 4 to a desk. But it's okay because I can spread my junk errywhere.
     Then, I went to work and worked on the pregnancy thing. There was also a giant stuffed bear in the office because of our "Be Beary SAFE" campaign about sexual health.
     It was 5, and I ran to cheer practice. We did dances and some stunting and conditioning until 7. By 7, I had my first actual meal in like 12 hours. I ate super cheesy enchiladas and a ton of tomato soup. I saw my friend Nick who I hadn't seen in forever, and we talked in the enchilada line. The cheer girls and I were super loud at our table because we make fun of each other a lot and laugh at everything which is great. Then, I had to go to stupid PLTL which I resent because of the time, but end up liking when I'm actually doing it. It's for Bio and we do a study group with practice problems for upcoming tests. By 9:20-something, I was freeeeee. So I went to the library and wrote this. Oh, and before I got a laptop, I was sadly sitting on the stairs because I literally felt drained of all life. A girl I new walked by and asked what I was doing on the stairs. She kindly asked if I needed anyone to talk to because I said I probably looked really sad, but I just laughed and told her I was okay. I'm totally pumped to do hw now haha. #collegelife
      Now it's ten. I should do my lab report or something.

Kinda Lethargic

During the school year, my Monday would look like:

7:00 AM Wake up
7:34 Catch the cruiser
7:40 Breakfast at Frank
8:20-9:10 Legacies of the Ancient World
9:20-10:10 Core Japan
10:20-12:10 PM Painting I
12:20 Lunch
1:30-2:30 Work
2:45-4:00 Art History
4:15 Dinner
5:00-8 Cheer Practice
8-12 Studying studying studying

And over break, it's like:

8:00 AM Wake up (haha still jet lagged?), Cook Egg whites + Banana Gluten free Pancakes (mmm) and Blueberries
9-10 Watch Pretty Little Liars
10-12 Film and Edit YouTube Video
12-1 PM Watch YouTube videos
1-4:30 Dance Moms marathon! Ahh Season 6 Premiere. The drama...
6-7 Zumba
7-8 Power Yoga
8-11 Watch movies and read my book on Australia my beautiful friend Kat gave me for Fearsome Five Day, The Sunburned Country 

Colgate Protests

On the Window

 

On Teacher's Doors

 (in Blue Ink) on the window of the Dining/ Studying Area

In the Residential Hall

   On Thursday, I noticed that the glass surfaces of Colgate University were less transparent than usual. The glass panes of doors and windows played the role of bulletin boards. Hand-written scrawl in black and white screamed "I CAN'T BREATHE," "BLACK LIVES MATTER," "#FERGUSON," and other intense statements of 150 characters or less. The words were inescapable. While pounding away at a key board in the Keck Computer Lab in an attempt to hack out a paper, my attention was distracted to my left. I looked over and saw a girl scrawling "BLACK LIVES MATTER" in Expo across a glass wall. She put her whole arm into the endeavor, each letter created standing a foot tall.

     Okay, I thought. The killing of unarmed black men by police officers is inexcusable, so this awareness is a good thing. But... isn't writing on everything a form of vandalism? Is vandalism okay if it's for a just cause?

     The shock I'd feel every time I saw the intense phrases subsided as the day went on. I went to cheer practice. I ate dinner and a second dinner. (I was hungry, alright?). And then I heard about the Die-in. The Die-in took place at the COOP, a dining facility/ mail-room/ computer lab/ casual study space. Basically, a lot of people go in and out of the place on a daily basis. However, accessibility became difficult by mid-afternoon. Students lay on the ground on the steps of the building. More writing was written on the coop glass walls. "28 HOURS." Or in chalk along the steps. The statements had become more aggressive and profane. "FUCK YOUR PRIVILEGE." And, in my opinion, divisional. 

      Then, protesters defaced the American flag. 

       

        Until Friday, I had not been directly affected by the events of the protest. 

        Friday was the day of Dancefest. I was pumped. My freshman year, I started dancing with the Colgate Ballet Company, and since then, Dancefest has been one of my favorite parts of my college experience. Dancefest is the one night each semester when Colgate's dance groups perform two-hours worth of routines. It's probably the most well-attended on-campus events, attracting nearly the entire student body, faculty, local Hamiltonians, and dancers' families. It's the time when all the rehearsing/choreographing/preparing costumes, lights, music, etc. pays off. 

        Ten minutes before the show would begin at 6 pm, the line to the Chapel entrance still stretched through the lobby and outside the door. Seats on the bottom floor were full, yet many parents and students had yet to sit down. We had been informed the balcony seats (numbering a guesstimate of 200) would be closed due to security threats. That is not something you tell a crowded room full of dancers before their performance. Something like this had never happened before, and the silence in the Chapel basement (a room which right before Dancefest any other year would have been a scene of dancers with anticipation and excitement, mascara and lipstick, photo-ops, and last minute routine run-throughs) felt wrong.
       We all had gathered in a circle around the Dancefest coordinators who informed us what was going on. People would be turned away from the performance because there loomed the threat of protesters throwing projectiles at the dancers or the audience from the balcony seats? Parents had driven for hours to see their kids dance and couldn't even enter the Chapel. Some dancers could not help but fall apart. Tears were shed out of pure frustration. (Luckily, the balcony seats were opened right before the show, and security members were stationed on both floors.)

       This was when I thought the protest had gone too far. 

       Black lives matter, but that does not mean you have the right as a protester to belittle the lives of everyone else. I understand that many protesters are dedicated about to the cause to the point of sacrificing their daily routines, and not performing in the show themselves. But you cannot force everyone else to follow what you personally believe is "the right way" to support this cause. 

       Everyone should be allowed to make a choice. 

       Additionally, I understand that if you want to get a message out to the student body, what better way to do it than when nearly everyone is collectively gathered? But why can't you create your own event instead of inconsiderately overtaking another's event? That protesters would even think it was just to take-over Dancefest was shocking. Such plans to "thrown projectiles" are disrespectful to everyone who had dedicated so much effort to the show and those who would come to attend.

       Furthermore, just because I'm dancing does not mean I don't care about the injustice occurring throughout the United States or anywhere for that matter. It's 2 hours to dance and enjoy the company of fellow dancer and dance-lovers. And just because I don't protest the way you protest does not mean I am ignorant, uncaring, heartless, selfish, racist, etc.

      What I hate about the outcome of Colgate's protests is that is always turns into a matter of us against them. Of we're right and you're wrong. Of if you don't show your support the way we show our support then you're obviously racist/ a horrible person/ not on the side of justice!!!! 

       I get that the protesters are fighting for a cause, but it sucks that through protesters' often aggressive methods, a dichotomy is created. The message they portray is no longer "join our cause", but "join OUR SIDE, OUR METHODS, OUR IDEOLOGY or else your doing the whole care-about-a-cause thing wrong."  

     Another thing to note, those expo-ed words are vandalism. I overheard stories of a custodian becoming flustered and upset because her job was to clean the words off the glass. However, the words, like the protesters, seemed immovable. And even after she'd tried to smudge the words off the glass, they'd reappear in a matter of minutes.

    Update: A week later, those words were still partially written on the walls. Who would see these words over break except the custodial staff? Clean up your messes, protesters. Don't burden the custodial staff.