At Home in October

Here are a couple fun photos from some of our days as a family at home. Enjoy.

October in NYC

Nothing is quite as nice as a beautiful October day in NYC. Team Liz headed to the park. Jory has learned the wonders of the swings as well as the beauty of the trees.

Jory Laughing

Here's a recent video of Jory laughing - actually we are all laughing in this video!

Happy Belated Birthday, Saul

Liz surprised Saul with a private rock climbing lesson at Chelsea Pier's climbing wall. Here are a couple photos from our time on the wall!

The trailer for Uncle Roy's movie!

Jory Sitting Up . . .

...sort of...

Cutest Baby Ever

Alright, so we admit to being totally bias, however, we have taken a straw pull from our nearest and dearest and the votes are in...Jory is definitely competing for one of New York's cutest babies. Here are a couple recent photos to support this claim.

Banki Wedding

With great joy Team Liz celebrated the recent nuptials of our friend Susan to her beloved Josh. Here is a fun photo of Dave, Kristi, Devin, Heidi and Saul giving big kisses to the bride Susan.

Off to the Ride, one more time

The brothers Kaiserman took to their bikes together for the second year in a row, raising money for Hazon. Over Sunday and Monday of Labor Day weekend they biked about 2oo miles between the two of them.

Before the ride we shared Shabbat at Camp Kinder Ring with our dear friend Heidi - here is a family photo courtesy of Marni Mandel.

Long Hair, Short Hair...

Last summer, Shakespeare In the Park created a production of Hair in honor of the 40th anniversary of the show. Liz, Saul, Devin and Cheryl enjoyed last summer's performance so much that Saul wanted to try to get a whole group of us to go again this summer.

Long story short, Uncle Mark, Quincy (Mark's dog) Liz and Jory stood (sat) on line in Central Park from around 7:30AM until 1pm when they hand out tickets. Saul and Mark spent a wonderful evening seeing Hair in the open air theater in Central Park.

Take me out to the Ball Game

Thanks to Uncle Mark, Jory had the opportunity to go to one of the
final Mets games at Shea Stadium. We had a great time and
Jory even got a snooze during
the 7th inning stretch.

Great Aunt Rose turns 90

Liz's great Aunt Rose (her maternal grandmother's sister-in-law) turned 90 in July. Team Liz headed out to Cranberry NJ to celebrate this momentous occasion.

Here is Liz's mom (known as Safta to her grandchildren) holding Jory and chatting with Saul.

Jory and her second cousin Matthew sit together.



Here is Saul with Liz's cousin Tukta.



Jory passes out on Liz's lap after a long day of celebrating Aunt Rose.

California Here we Come

Team Liz headed out West for a short visit. We flew from Newark to SFO and spent a couple nights in a sweet little resort called Costa Noa just south of Pescadero. Liz's brother Jonathan, sister-in-law Ginny and nephew Judah met us at Costa Noa for some R&R. Our final night on the left coast we spent with our friends Lynne and Andrew and their kids Sam and Leah. All-in-all a great trip.

Judah banging on the drum while sitting on his
father's lap in a music store in Santa Cruz.

We all walked down to the tide pools on our final morning at Costa Noa. It was a bit chilly but totally beautiful.





Blessing the challah and celebrating Shabbat with good friends.


Leah and Jory just hanging around together.

Jory snoozing in the empty seat between us on the flight home from California.

New Mexico in NYC

Team Liz got a surprise visit from our friend Ruth and her kids Avi and Isaiah. They were in town from New Mexico and came over for dinner and a couple of rounds of Scattagories. It was a truly fun and laugh out loud visit.

Grandma and Grandpa Kaiserman in NYC

Team Liz excitedly welcomed Judy and Carl to NYC. We spent a fun weekend together. Judy and Carl got to babysit for baby Jory as well as help us hang artwork in our apartment. We even got to enjoy a meal together with Uncle Mark.



Judy, Carl and Jory hanging out and looking in the mirror.








Judy, Jory and Liz in Riverside Park. We were enjoying Shabbat services with Kol Zimrah, the independent minyan that Saul leads services for sometimes.

Laila Iarussi in Concert

Team Liz's friend Laila Iarussi attended a week long summer camp called Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls. After a week of jamming out Laila got on stage at a club in Williamsburg, Brooklyn to rock out with her band LOL. Team Liz attended the concert with great joy. Here is a photo of our little rock star with her Bob Marley hat. Oh yeah, Saul does have Jory's entire hand in his mouth.

Dershstock 2008

After a two year hiatus Team Liz was thrilled to return to Dershstock. We headed up to Phoenicia to enjoy a lovely July 4th weekend. Funds were raised to support our dear friend Devin Cohen as he runs for Civil Court Judge in District 1 in Brooklyn, Jory had her first swimming lesson and thanks to Zara we all learned a new Yiddish song.

Saul and Heidi jamming out for a good cause.

Zara joins Saul and teaches all of us a Yiddish ditty.

Jory takes her first swim with Saul.

Heidi hanging out with Jory.

Isaac Gabriel Cohen's Brit Milah

So Team Liz is blessed to be spending these early months of Jory's life welcoming to the world many new friends. Today we attended the brit milah (bris) of our new friend Isaac Gabriel Cohen, son of Cheryl Cook and Devin Cohen.

Saul leading the group in some warm-up songs as we wait for the mohel to arrive.

Amy and Heidi holding and loving Jory.

Our friend Adam and his kids Mars and Zara. It was a great surprise to see them as they live in LA.

Jory Relaxing

Jory seems to LOVE hanging out on her changing table. This is a favorite spot for looking at things and exercising her growing body. Here are a couple sweet photos.

Smiling Baby

It's official, Jory has learned how to smile.
Mama and Papa could not be more proud!
Today is Liz's nephew Judah's first birthday,
happy birthday!

Shabbat at Congregation Emanu-El

Team Liz took Jory to Saul's final Shabbat program of the year at Temple Emanu-El known as Shabbat Kodesh. Here is a terrific photo of Saul, Jory and Saul's colleague Rabbi Howie Goldsmith. This is also Liz's brother Jonathan's birthday, happy birthday!

Mother's Day at Emanu-El

Why celebrate the birth of your first child just once when you can do it three times! So today was Liz's first mother's day and in honor of Jory joining our family Team Liz hosted a final get together. Happy Mother's Day to all!

This time we celebrated with an open house at Temple Emanu-El. Our friends and family dropped by for some tasty treats and to gaze lovingly upon Jory.

David, Jennifer, Gabriel and
Nathan hanging out with Jory.

Saul, Uncle Mark and Dan enjoying some time with Jory.

Jory is Blessed at Central Synagogue

So we headed over to 55th Street and Lexington Avenue to have Jory blessed and named (again). Rabbi Peter Rubinstein blessed Jory and our new family in front of the Torah on the Bimah at Central Synagogue. Liz also read from Torah and Saul had the aliyah.


Here are a couple pictures from the reception (oneg) afterwards. Tonight is also Saul's brother Mark's birthday, happy birthday!



Liz's mom Marti and step-father Jeffrey with Liz's cousin Ellen and her husband Casey and of course Jory.

Here is Liz holding Jory and sitting
with her good friend Susan and
Susan's daughter Hannah.

Meeting Great Grandpa Jerry

Liz's grand father Jerry Freirich and his girlfriend Judy Golden were unable to attend Jory's naming on April 15th but stopped by today to meet their first great-granddaughter.

Second Seder

Although Team Liz normally celebrates second Seder in the borough of Brooklyn - this year we stayed home and our friend Heidi joined us to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt.