Rumor has it that the new Tappan Zee Bridge, which has been renamed the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, will be soon referred to as the Mario. It sort of makes sense since we guess it saves tongue and voice power. We began to think about where abbreviations are used the most. On this one we have to say Canada is the winner. No one is a patient in the Jewish General Hospital—everyone is at “The Jewish.” Fantastic Danish pastry is purchased not at Kosher Quality Bakery but instead at “Quality.” Davening at the Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem Synagogue is done at TBDJ. No one attends Adath Israel Poale Zedek Anshei Ozeroff—they daven at “the Adath”
The Royal Victoria Hospital is The Vic; the Montreal General is the General. Visits are made to Tremblant, Sauveur, (no Mts. necessary).
Here in our area we have never heard anyone say someone is a patient at “Holy,” nor have we heard the GWB referred to as the George. Now with the name changes it has gotten even worse—the Triboro has become the Robert F Kennedy Bridge and the 59th Street Bridge has become the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge. Oy. By the time we have asked which is faster—the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge or the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge we could have been there and back. Hopefully it will one day reasonably be the Kennedy and the Koch!
People as well are always abbreviating. How many times have we attended a bris and heard that the babies name is Zacharia named after a late uncle but “of course we are going to call him Zack.” “ She is named after my late grandmother whose name was Breindel Mindel so we are calling her Mia.” We think that is more than an abbreviation! It’s the fact that we plain and simple do not like the original name. We learned after naming two children with a “chet” in their name that we were doing them a disservice in the real world. People who are not Jewish cannot pronounce that letter; we know well from those attemping to pronounce Mordechai. They pronounce the chai as if they were doing the cha cha. The funniest occurrence was at our eldest great grandson’s bris when our son-in-law Baruch got up to speak. He recalled telling his son and daughter-in-law (parents of the new baby) that they should be careful about naming any of their children with a “chet” in their names as his name is Baruch and everyone calls him Baruck. As a return on his comments to his children, their first child, a daughter, was named Chaviva and now this second child, a boy, was named Yechiel. We guess the lesson is to never tell your children what to do unless your ulterior motive is for them to do the opposite!
Getting back to the topic of abbreviating, what we are really concerned about is those of us who are always rushing and without realizing it abbreviating the beauty of life. Not taking the chance to appreciate what we have—rushing through is in a sense an abbreviation of making the most of each minute.
The following two weeks can be so exciting. The preparation of Sukkot. Building the sukkah, which should be a treat for everyone. Decorating the sukkah—another opportunity to work on something pleasurable for both old and young. Inviting friends and especially those who do not have a sukkah of their own. Preparing festive meals As we write these words we can hear the challenges in some people’s minds about the work involved. Even the weather man in this part of the world so far sounds like he will be cooperating. Let’s not rush through it all. Enjoy having the children at home, enjoy the work that meals entail, enjoy the fact that we are able to do these things. Let’s not abbreviate this chag.
We look at Sukkot as an opportunity to once again thank Hashem for enabling us to concentrate on family and the pleasures of life. Chag Sameach to all.
By Rabbi Mordechai and Nina Glick
