I have talked about my trip to Israel in several post earlier this summer. As you know by now, the trip had a profound affect on my life, in more ways that I can really explain in a blog post. No, I have not become religious, I haven’t traded in my jeans for skirts, but I have become more interested in learning about Judiasm in a way that I never had before.

One of the underlying twists and turns about the trip was the fact that everyone is on their own personal Jewish journey. It is something different for everyone. There were 10 amazing women that were on my trip with me (plus one Madricha and two Rebbetzins). Everyone had a different reason for being there. On one of our last nights in Israel, the group had a get together in the lobby of the hotel to discuss topics for classes that we would be part of when we came back to Toronto.

Tonight was the last night of our second series of classes. This one was called Judiasm 101. We went through the holidays during our holiday time, and went through them in a way that I never really learned before. As I am sitting here and typing this I think I figured something out. When I was a child and went to Sunday school and after school classes, I was a child. Learning the prayers and the holidays and traditions. This is totally different. This is learning as an adult, which is different.

Tonight we talked about Shabbat. I had discussed in a previous post about how Shabbat in Israel was amazing and meaningful to me. It was nice to sit around the table tonight and hear that the others were feeling the same way I was feeling in Israel.

The next series of classes will be at my house. I am excited to host amazing women, being taught by an amazing woman, about women. My course topic is Woman’s role in Judaism – the Power of the Jewish Woman.

If you would like to come to the classes, please send me a private message on Facebook and I will give you the details. As my condo is small, I can’t have everyone, but I know that my Rebbitzen loves to teach so I am sure there will be other chances to learn.

I went to the Bahamas in September 2010 and stayed at the Riu Paradise Island. They had a jewelery store in the lobby. I remember looking at these really pretty ‘charm’ bracelets that you buy the bracelet and then add all kinds of charms. I was going to buy one and took the brochure up to the room. I ended up not buying one.

Once I got home, I started to notice around friends and other people that they had these bracelets with all different charms. Similar to what I had seen in the Bahamas but not quite. People were telling me that these bracelets were called Pandora. The ones I had seen in Nassau were Chamilla, not Pandora.

My mom and I were lucky enough to be going on a cruise that December and I told her that when we got to Grand Cayman I was buying a Pandora.

When we arrived in Grand Cayman there we made a bee line for the Jewellery store. I saw the pandora logo and off we went.

My mother wasn’t in the market for a bracelet, but as she looked at the charms, there was no turning back, two bracelets please.

We both started off with a few charms…and then a few more once we got home. It is a pretty safe thing to say that collecting Pandora charms was going to be one of those things….you just ‘gotta have’.

For my birthday in February 2011 it was time to celebrate – and there was a party, with a lot of friends who were generous enough to buy me a lot of charms for the bracelet. A wrapped present, an airplane, a heart, a flower just to name a few. I think there were five charms added for my birthday.

Each charms started to represent either my favourite colour (purple in case you didn’t know) or my job (suitcase and airplane) or my passion for purses. 

I was going to Vegas and I googled “pandora charms, vegas” and found out there was an exclusive charm just sold in Vegas – at the Forum shops, so of course I had to have it. When I went into the store, it felt like being on the Amazing race. I asked the girl, “do you have the charm?” she replied, “the exclusive charm”…it is a dice, so of course I had to have that.

That actually became something new to look for charms where I was travelling to. So, in New York, I bought the apple, and in Hawaii I bought the pineapple. At this point, my bracelet was full.

and then…..I saw it….and new I had to have it. The camera charm. But the bracelet was full….start a new one the lady at the store said….sure, not! But I had to have the charm. So, I took off a spacer and put the camera in its place.

I am sad in a way that the bracelet is full. Looking for new charms and then planning where each one would fit into its place was fun. Would I start a second bracelet? I don’t know, you don’t get multiple birthday gifts every single year. Maybe a necklace…maybe….we’ll see.

For now, I have my very beautiful bracelet that I look at and smile when I am wearing it.

What’s your favourite charm (if you have a Pandora)? What is on your wish list?

Day 5 – today’s post can be found by clicking here.

http://thestampsinmypassport.blogspot.ca/2012/11/dining-with-character.html

Thanks for reading,

See y’all tomorrow!!