Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 65

Reframing Resilience: Our Scars and Our Struggle Make Us Stronger

[image error] By Rabbi Faith Joy DantowitzShe’s the GOAT. The greatest of all time. All eyes were on her and records were ready to be broken. The hype. The expectation. The pain from past trauma. The year delay from COVID.Tokyo 2020 in 2021. Simone Biles had the twisties. As we all know, she withdrew from all but one of her events.Gymnasts know the twisties are when one can not identify where their body is in the air. You are literally off-balance. To compete in such a state of mind with the difficulty level of her routines would not only be risky, but also life-threatening. On Rosh Hashanah---we celebrate a new year of life. We acknowledge life is full of challenges. And we explore our own struggles with balance---physical and spiritual; personal and professional; familial and communal. As we read in our daily morning liturgy, we thank God for our body and our soul. Asher Yatzar ---Who has formed me:Blessed are you, Holy One, who has formed the human body with wisdom-an intricate network of channels, vessels and openings. This wondrous structure, and the flow of life within us, allows us to serve You and give thanks. Let us cherish this gift of flesh and blood,honor it as God’s creation. We praise You, Holy One, for wondrous acts of creation and healing. Baruch Atah Adonai Rofei Chol Basar uMafli la’asot.An interpretation of this blessing in our Machzor says“You have taught us:Guard yourselves well; take good care of your lives.Your word calls to us:Do no harm to yourself! Do not weaken or exhaust yourself!In gratitude for the gift of our bodies,We pray for a year of renewed health and replenished strength.May caring for our bodies become our daily practice.May we be attentive to our need for proper food, sleep, and exercise.Let no injury come to others through our acts or failure to act;But let our mitzvah be this:To build a just society in which care is a birthrightand the blessing of health the responsibility of all.” 1 This past year has taught us--if we don’t feel well, we should stay homeWe have also seen more clearly the inequity of treatmentWhere all should have access to medical care, time off from work or school for vaccinesWhere all eligible should GET vaccinesAnd we continue to see how the health of people we do not know impacts us all.Some of us have faced personal physical challenges this year--From COVID-19 to cancer diagnosis to surgery to broken bones.Our bodies are fragile---when we care for them they may do better. There are times when we have no control and must face the daily challenges we experience. In addition to thanking God each day for our bodies, we thank God for our souls.Elohai neshama shenata bi, tehora hi“Pure, my God, is the soul You gave me.You formed it. You shaped it. You breathed it into me. You keep it safe within me.Someday, when this soul returns to You,I will find a place in eternity.But as long as spirit breathes within me,I place before You my thanks,Eternal my God and God of my ancestors,Creator of all creation, Sovereign of all souls.Baruch Atah Adonai asher b’yado nefesh kol chai v’ruach kol b’sar ishWe give You praise, Adonai: all life is in Your hand; and in Your care, the soul of every human being.” 2 The Talmud teaches that we recite Elohai Neshama upon waking each morning to thank God for restoring our souls or consciousness, for sleep was likened to death. 3 These two prayers coupled, address body and soul.We human beings must tend to and care for both. While some individuals are facing long-haul physical effects of COVID, we know there are many suffering from spiritual and mental long-haul effects. Mental health challenges are rampant and mental health therapists are difficult to land an appointment with while they are also struggling to help others and maintain their own sense of balance. As we enter this new year, 5782, we think about the names for this holiday.Rosh Hashanah- head of the year is also known asYom T’ruah--the day of blasting. How will we respond to the shofar’s wake-up call as we evaluate where we are in our journeys?Yom HaDin--judgment dayHow are we judging ourselves? Are we forcing ourselves to do more than we are physically or spiritually prepared to do at this time?Yom HaZikaron-Day of RemembranceWe pray that God remembers us in this new year.Our liturgy also tells us today is Hayom harat Olam-the birthday of the worldTo celebrate the gift of new life, the gift of a new day, we strive for a balance of our physical and spiritual needs.When we thank God each day for our bodies and souls, we also recognize the gifts of our challenges.Brene Brown, researcher and author of many books including one called “The Gifts of Imperfection,” emphasizes vulnerability.It’s okay when we let our guard down. It’s okay when we show we are not 100% okay.Brown explains:“Wholehearted Living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the Courage, Compassion, and Connection to wake up in the morning and think, no matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough.”When we are struggling, it is common to compare ourselves to others. TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook fill our eyes and minds and while sometimes social media may inspire us or make us laugh, may also lead to insecurity.Jewish tradition teaches us:Rabbi Zusya said: “In the coming world they will not ask me: “Why were you not Moses?” They will ask me. “Why were you not Zusya?”How do we celebrate being who we are even in our struggles? In Spirituality of Imperfection, authors Ernest Kurtz and Katherine Ketcham suggest “Spirituality is discovered in that space between paradoxes’ extremes, for there we confront our helplessness and our powerlessness, our woundedness. In seeking to understand our limitations, we seek not only an easing of our pain but an understanding of what it means to hurt and what it means to be healed.” 4 Spirituality is cultivating an awareness of the Divine. We are all created in God’s image--each one of us a reflection of God with all of our gifts and imperfections.There are various times in our lives where we feel broken and off balance. How do we honor the stories of our past as we walk into the future?Our ancestors faced great fear when Moses went to Mt. Sinai the first time and demanded Aaron create a god---an idol. When Moses returned and saw the golden calf he smashed the first set of tablets.What happened to those tablets---They were not left in a pile in the desert. They were carried with our ancestors inside the portable sanctuary. A reminder of the challenges they faced and recognition of the ability to continue to live.The Talmud explains our ancestors carried broken tablets in the ark because they are still sacred. 5 Kintsugi is the Japanese art of honoring and putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold-the lines where the pieces are joined are highlighted-essentially embracing the flaws and imperfections.As Leonard Cohen sang, “There is a crack, a crack in everythingThat's how the light gets in.”Kintsugi pottery highlights the scars, the brokenness and makes the piece more valuable, more desirable, more unique. Our scars, experiences, and paths [can] lead us in our own crooked way to something beautiful. 6 Engaging in teshuva, return, turning to God, turning to the best versions of ourselves,Can be seen as kinstugi.We thank God each day for the gifts of our bodies and souls. We approach this new year with all of our imperfections, engaging in teshuva---turning to God and the best versions of ourselves. The Cracked Pot A long, long time ago in India there lived a water bearer. He had two pots, and he had a very long pole, which he balanced across his very broad shoulders. He hung one pot from each end of his long pole. Each day the man left his home with his empty pots and his pole draped across his broad shoulders and walked down the path to the stream. Once at the stream, the man filled both his pots with water. Then he put the pots back on his pole, balanced his pole across his shoulders, and walked back home. Now what You should know is this: One of the man's pots had a crack in it! And just as you'd expect, every time the man arrived at home, the cracked pot was only half full of water.But that didn't change the man's routine: Every day he walked down the path to the stream, collected his water, and arrived home with one pot full of water and the other pot half full. This went on every day, week after week, month after month, year after year. As you might imagine, the cracked pot felt sad and ashamed. One day as the man was walking home, the cracked pot mustered up the courage to speak to the man. "Excuse me, sir. I'm so sorry," said the pot. "And I really want to apologize and beg your forgiveness." "Why?" asked the man. "What do you have to apologize for?""Over the years that I've helped you, I've never been able to deliver a full load of water for you. I've never been able to do my fair share. You work so hard, but because of my crack you never get the full amount of water. So your efforts are never completely rewarded, and it's all because of me and my crack." Hearing this, the man felt sorry for the pot. "Listen," he said. "It's okay. Really, it is. In fact, the next time we go to collect water, as we walk along, I want you to look out over your side of the path." The pot agreed. The next day, as was his routine, the water bearer walked down to the stream with his pole and his empty pots. Once at the stream, the man filled both pots with water and placed one at each end of his pole, which he balanced across his broad shoulders. 'Then the man started for home. Instead of worrying about the crack and the water that was falling out, the pot did as the man had instructed. The pot looked out along the side of the path. And what he saw was amazing: fields of beautiful flowers!The man stopped. "Do you see all those flowers?" he asked the pot. Before the pot had time to respond, the man spoke again: "And have you noticed that these gorgeous flowers are only on your side of the path? It's because I knew that water leaked from your crack, so I planted seeds along the way. That way, every day when we walked back up to the house, you watered the seeds. It's thanks to you that we have these beautiful flowers growing along the path. Without your crack, we wouldn't have these colorful flowers to brighten my day and bring beauty to the world. So I need to thank you. Thank you for being a cracked pot." 7 May we celebrate our gifts of imperfection as we continue to strive for wholeness, wholeheartedness and acts of teshuva.And may we take time to notice the flowers along the way.

Rosh Hashannah Morning Sermon 5782

Congregation Emeth, Morgan Hill, CA

Rabbi Faith Joy Dantowitz

[1] Mishkan HaNefesh Rosh Hashanah p. 121

[2] Mishkan HaNefesh Rosh Hashanah p. 122

[3] Babylonian Talmud Brachot 60b

[4] Spirituality of Imperfection by Kurtz and Ketcham, p. 2

[5] Babylonian Talmud Baba Batra 14 b

[6] Thank you to Lisa Niver for help with this phrase and overall editing. Lisa Niver took Hebrew class at University of Pennsylvania with Rabbi Dantowitz

[7] The Cracked Pot, www.moralstories.org

Ahavat Olam for Congregation Emeth by Benjamin Dantowitz, Daniel Dantowitz, Ezra Dantowitz, and Samuel Dantowitz [image error] Hiking in Northern California

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Puerto Rico: Our Perfect Day Out at Frutos del Guacabo, the Beach and Bacardi Mixology Class!

[image error] What did we do in Puerto Rico? Enjoy these videos from our tours at Frutos del Guacabo, the Beach and Bacardi Mixology Class!Frutos del Guacabo is teaching farming and changing the food economy of Puerto Rico!

I went to Frutos Del Guacabo on Aug 14, 2021. I loved our tour with Efrén Robles. He and his family work with 200 chefs and restaurants providing food from 50 farmers. They work as a hub for distribution and teach techniques like hydroponic farming so that more people can grow food. In Puerto Rico, 80 to 90% of food is imported.

Frutos del Guacabo is a family business that began in 2010 as a small farm for the development of hydroponic products, now they also focus on the sustainability of products and processes. Their innovation includes the production and development of edible flowers, micro-sprouts, breeding-handling of animals especially goats to make cheese, and its certification as an agro-tourism farm so they can give tours and share their educational mission.

At Frutos del Guacabo, culinary agriculture is promoted through a “Farm to Table” experience. Chefs, waiters, diners, and students exchange their knowledge and experiences to continue developing the gastronomy of the island. On your tour, you can see their goats, rabbits and horses as well as taste the edible flowers, micro-greens and the goat cheese among many other tasty treats. We had a lovely lunch and tour. I highly recommend you visit and milk a goat like I did!

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We visited Playa Mar Chiquita in Puerto Rico after our tour at Frutos del Guacabo and on our way to the Bacardi Factory for our Mixology Tour. It was a beautiful beach and I would love to go back! [image error]

I loved the Casa BACARDÍ Factory Mixology Tour!

The grounds are beautiful, there are so many spots for fun photos and they even have hula-hoops! We had welcome drinks and then got on the tram to learn about the history of the brand.

Did you know there are 300 brands that are now part of the Bacardi Family? That it is family owned and 85% of the world production happens in Puerto Rico! It is the most awarded world’s largest premium rum distillery. They produce 100,000 gallons a DAY!

Don Facundo Bacardi Masso started the brand in 1862, and his wife selected the fruit bat as their logo and good luck symbol! Our guide was great and we had a very spirited mixology class.

Thanks to Jared and Andy for filming with me with assistance from Xiomara! We made mojitos first which were excellent but I loved the shake to the music for our pina coladas! I think that was the best pina colada I ever had.

Thank you to Discover Puerto Rico, Distrito T-Mobile, T-mobile and Ketchum for inviting me to the grand opening party August 14, 2021. See all the videos from our adventures at this link: https://bit.ly/Distrito2021

See all of Our Adventures in Puerto Rico!

Welcome Distrito T-MobileWhere to STAY and Where to EATWhat to DO: Zip-line, Movies and Live EntertainmentPuerto Rico: Our Perfect Day Out at Frutos del Guacabo, the Beach and Bacardi Mixology Class!

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Distrito T-Mobile: Zip-line, Movies and Live Entertainment

[image error] Watch your favorite performers at Coca-Cola Music Hall at Distrito T-Mobile!

In San Juan, Puerto Rico, buy your tickets for your next concert at Coca-Cola Music Hall with all the greatest artists. We went on a behind the scenes tour to see the VIP suites and the greenroom where the artists get ready. I cannot wait to come back for a concert! The 129,000 square foot facility is OPEN and has a seating capacity of up to 5,000 guests. Jorge Pérez, General Manager of the Puerto Rico Convention Center and the Coca-Cola Music Hall, said “This world-class venue is designed to host concerts, family shows, and other events for the benefit of all visitors, that is steps away from a variety of restaurants, hotels, and other entertainment alternatives.”

[image error] Are you ready for ADVENTURE?Zipline from TOROVERDE Urban Park past the Sheraton, Aloft and land at the Convention Center! [image error]

“In TOROVERDE Urban Park you can choose from a variety of ziplines in which you will glide above those enjoying DISTRITO T-Mobile’s outdoor spaces, resulting in a multisensory experience that is complemented by its music, lights, and unique energy. The Sky Bull consists of three ziplines, ranging from 150 to 400 feet long, that launches at 90 feet high from the main tower and takes you all around DISTRITO T-Mobile. Then, there’s the Blazing Bull, with two ziplines at 900 and 650 feet long. In this one, you’ll glide at 120 feet high in a “Superman” position around DISTRITO T-Mobile and to the Convention Center District.

For another type of adventure, there’s rock climbing at Pico del Toro. This custom-built rock-climbing wall is the biggest in the Caribbean in a park of this nature. Even more good news: no experience is required to enjoy it, as there’s different levels of difficulty for every type of adventurer.

Another record-breaking attraction is the Bull Maze: the biggest string maze in America! Its installation consists of 40 obstacles with different difficulty levels, adapting to the physical skills of any type of adventurer. “

[image error] Where to watch the next Blockbuster MOVIE? I love SCREEN X at Caribbean Cinemas in Distrito T-Mobile!

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Caribbean Cinemas VIP at Distrito T-Mobile has laser projectors and a complete surround sound system so you will be fully immersed in your movie. I have seen 3D, 4D and 3D with 4D which I love, but I also really loved Screen X. Relax into your luxury recliner with fantastic footrests and cup holders and reserve your seat in advance.

WHAT IS ScreenX? “The world’s first multi-projection theater technology with a 270-degree panoramic view that will take you beyond the traditional frame and surround you with imagery –almost like they you are inside the film.”

See all of Our Adventures in Puerto Rico!Welcome Distrito T-MobileWhere to STAY and Where to EATWhat to DO: Zip-line, Movies and Live EntertainmentPuerto Rico: Our Perfect Day Out at Frutos del Guacabo, the Beach and Bacardi Mixology Class!

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Viva Puerto Rico: Niver’s News: Aug 2021

Aug News 2021 with Lisa Niver & We Said Go Travel: [image error] Thank you to Discover Puerto Rico, Distrito T-Mobile, T-Mobile and Ketchum for inviting me to the grand opening party in San Juan Puerto Rico on August 14, 2021. See all the videos from our adventures here.

Are you looking for a sun-kissed Caribbean paradise with hundreds of years of history, fantastic food, beautiful beaches, majestic mountains, marvelous music and non-stop fun, La Isla del Encanto is the place for you.

I have visited Puerto Rico many times and sailed out of old San Juan for an entire Caribbean season when I worked for Royal Caribbean International.

Puerto Rico has one of the highest vaccination rates in the Americas, uses the US dollar and is a direct domestic flight from many parts of the USA.

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You can walk from the 500 year-old UNESCO forts of Castillo de San Cristóbal and Castillo de San Cristóbal in old San Juan to the newest entertainment hub which is Puerto Rico’s L.A. Live called Distrito T-Mobile. See you in Puerto Rico!

Did you know that Puerto Rico is a domestic flight away from Los Angeles, you can use your same phone plan, US dollars and, of course, there is no passport required! See you in San Juan!

READ MY ARTICLES ABOUT OUR ADVENTURES:

Welcome Distrito T-MobileWhere to STAY and Where to EAT

COMING SOON:What to DO: Zip-line, Movies and Live EntertainmentPuerto Rico: Our Perfect Day Out at Frutos del Guacabo, the Beach and Bacardi Mixology Class! [image error] I shared two articles on We Said Go Travel and The Jewish Journal to help the women and journalists of Afghanistan. If you know of more resources I can add and share, please let me know.

AFGHANISTAN JOURNALISTS: How You Can Help

HOW TO HELP: The Women of Afghanistan

[image error] Photo from Susan B Kason Family archives AfghanistanI love the Hollywood Bowl and went to The Princess Bride in concert. I was so happy that the Bowl was open. It is truly a treasure of Los Angeles to be able to enjoy world class music in this outdoor amphitheater with friends.The Hollywood Museum reopened this month. The first ever Back to the Future Trilogy exhibit is waiting for YOU! Thank you to KATED TRAVEL for highlighting my interview in Unorthodox Travel:

What do you do when you can’t travel? Travel expert Lisa Niver will tell you.

This link will take you to ALL SEVENTEEN of my new videos from PUERTO RICO: CLICK HERE to watch!

FROM FOHR: “Your hard work has officially paid off. Congrats! You’re a top influencer for Marriott International Hotels for the month of July! Here’s what that means: we track over 4,500 brands to see which influencers are giving each of them the most coverage on Instagram. Then, we organize the list of influencers by the number of impressions (number of followers x number of posts) they dedicate to those brands over a given month.“

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WHERE CAN YOU FIND MY TRAVEL VIDEOS?

Here is the link to my video channel on YouTube where I have over 1.36 million views on YouTube! (Exact count: 1,364,866 views)

Thank you for your support! Are you one of my 3,173 subscribers? I hope you will join me and subscribe! For more We Said Go Travel articles, TV segments, videos and social media: CLICK HERE

Find me on social media with over 150,000 followers. Please follow  on Twitter at @LisaNiver, Instagram @LisaNiver and on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and at LisaNiver.com.

My fortune cookies said: There will always be delightful mysteries in your life.”“Big things are in store for you in the coming year!”

Happy End of Summer, Labor Day and High Holy Days! Lisa

[image error] Lisa Niver at the beach in Puerto RIco, Aug 12, 2021

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Distrito T-Mobile: Where to Stay and Where to Eat

[image error] The grand opening of Distrito T-Mobile was magnificent! There is going to be so much music, entertainment and fun in this complex!

Are you wondering where to stay and where to eat?

I stayed at the Embassy Suites San Juan which is steps from the beach in Isla Verde. I love the made to order breakfast, the giant suite with two televisions and plenty of room to hula-hoop. The pool was beautiful day or night and it is less than two blocks to the beach. If you have forgotten anything or just want to get your hat, sunscreen and beach chair on arrival, there is a CVS less than a block from the property.

[image error] Lisa Niver at the beach in Isla Verde [image error] Where to stay in Distrito T-Mobile? Aloft San Juan

Do you want to be in the middle of all the action? Only have to walk a few steps back from Coca-Cola Music Hall, Caribbean Cinemas and all the restaurants of Distrito T-Mobile? Then you need Aloft San Juan. From the pool on the 3rd floor, you can watch the Toroverde Urban Park Zipline fly by and then go there for games, rock climbing and THE FLYING BULL!

[image error] Where to EAT in Distrito T-Mobile ?

All of the restaurants at Distrito T-Mobile are focused on Puerto Rican chefs, Puerto Rican art and Puerto Rican hospitality.

Come with us for: drinks at La Central dinner at Barullo and see the next movie with lunch at La Burguesia!

We also toured:

Lupe Reyes (check out the fresh tortillas), see the rum barrel bathrooms at La Central, Sazon with the mechanical metal fish in the air and Arena Medalla where you can pour your own beer, play games including magnetic scrabble and, of course, KARAOKE!

[image error] Our lunch at La Burguesía

What do you do after zip-lining? We ate an AMAZING lunch at La Burguesía in Distrito T-Mobile!
I had “This ain’t your daddy’s cheeseburger!” and at our table we had nearly ever other choice including ALL the dessert milkshakes which are topped with a giant slice of cheesecake, chocolate cake or s’mores.
Join Evian for our tour through the kitchen including where Pablo and Jorge grind the meat, and the team bakes the bread, cooks your burger, creates your shake and dresses your fries. YUM!

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