The old, old story; the holiday being frittered away. Have come up into the kids’ bedroom to write this, they’re watching TV below. They are, touch wood, well and full of élan vital, but it’s impossible to get any quiet at all with them in the house – except when they are watching the TV.
Went to a meeting of the Group [a social gathering for synagogue members] yesterday. A discussion on women as second-class citizens in Traditional Judaism. Anita [Bernstein] did very well in the suffragette position; her opponent was unable to be present but had her paper read for her. There was a certain amount of crisp “Beyond the Fringe” cross-talk. Michael Morris defended the sending of the lulav and the esrog on the grounds that the l & e had an obvious Freudian significance (Jeffrey Lesser, who took us home, said that this was his crack); Jeffrey Lesser, defending (tongue in cheek) the Orthodox laws of taharat mishpachah, referred to Australian aborigines who would not cross a stream during their menstrual period…
Came home just before midnight, went to bed about 00.30, up at 10.30, wrote a weak letter to Yettka, [relative in Israel], went out and bought myself a pair of shoes (99/11, fed up with cheap cheap “Tuff” affairs), siesta after lunch, and that’s how the day goes. Criminal.
Having spent over £320 on the re-decorating, and on electrical work, have now given E. the green light to spend £60 on carpets. Past caring.
Have been pondering for last ten-fifteen minutes what to write, but can’t think of anything. Want to draft some notes for School Journey log books. Hope to get this done to-night, when E. will be at meeting of League of Jewish Women.
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Joseph Witriol's Writings 