from Facebook
A thoughtful Yom Kippur moment from the #landofcute

Mommy “Some Jewish people take a chicken and swing it over their heads just before Yom Kippur”
Eyes wide open…”What for?”
“Well, we say a prayer and as we swing it, we give the chickens our sins, and we ask god to forgive us for the sins we have committed”
Best question….”What is a sin?”
“Well, Stealing would be a sin, being mean to other people is a sin”
“Well, what happens to the chicken?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, what does the chicken swing over it’s head to get rid of it’s sin?”
“A mouse!”
“Annnnnd what does a mouse swing?”
“A fly!”
“And what does a fly swing?”
“An ant!”
“And what does an ant swing?”
“An atom!”
“Hmmmmm, I guess the sin filled atom just has to float in the air until it disappears”
“I guess so”
Marcus “This reminds me old lady who swallowed the fly”

May you all have a meaningful Yom Kippur.

from Facebook
A financial tale from the #landofcute

Marcus knows that I set aside money for him every week. The dimes nickles and quarters go into his Finding Nemo piggy bank (thank you Lori Sone-Cooper!) and the loonies and twonies go into a beautifully painted African themed pot (Thank you L Deborah Sword). Today Marcus asked me to help him count all of his money. So, we did. After we finished counting it all up he said “We should go buy something!” and I answered
“This money we are saving for when you to got to university or for your first trip to Israel”
“Mommy” His voice sounding so sincere, “Lets take all of the big money (loonies and twonies) and put it back in here. Then let’s take all of the small money and take it to the mall so we can give it to poor people” I felt very proud
He was looking at me like “Isn’t this a great idea?!?”
I took a quiet deep breath in and said. “Marcus, I don’t think we are going to find poor people at the Pickering Town Center. But, I think you should take this money with you when you head down town tonight with daddy. Deal?”
“Deal” and we gave each other a high five!