BEANIE BABIES 'M Catch the Beanie Baby Wave! Start Your Collection Today, Don't Miss Out On This 90's Sensation! The Birthday Party DIANE SCHAEFER STAFF WRITER I NEW BEANIE BABY ARRIVALS FOR 1997* • Bull • St. Bernard • Doberman • Squirrel • Rose Bunny • Lilac Bunny • Mint Bunny • Swan • Siamese- • Lamb • Shark • Kangaroo • Koala *Delivery expected before the end of January CVeena CARDS & COLLECTIBLES 37518 W. 12 Mile Rd., Farmington Hills • (810) 489-4060 Specializing in Adult and Pediatric.Urology Bedwetting • Bladder Control Urinary Tract Infection Circumcision • Undescended Testis Abnormal Genitalia • Hernia Varicocele / Hydrocele THE APP LET RE E Marian Professional Pavilion 1 4555 Levan, Suite 309 Livonia, Michigan 48154 10 Phone (313) 432-1913 Facsimile (313) 432-1915 Dr. Leuran is a graduate of Wayne State University Medical School and completed his residency at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. He is now affiliated with St. Mary Hospital-Livonia. ZVI LEVRAN, M.D., P.C. ma, tell me again, how soon is my birthday?" For the parents of young children in Israel, this question is often a familiar re- frain, even if the birthday is still months and months away. It takes on special significance once the child enters preschool — all because of the phenome- non known as The Birthday Party. Parents often are indoctrinat- ed into The Birthday Party when their child turns 2 or 3 years old. In Israel, it is quite common for children to start preschool at these ages, and the school itself often is an orga- nized educational system far re- moved from the informal, play-only nursery schools Amer- ican parents may have attend- ed. The Birthday Party is an important part of the curricu- lum at least through Can Hova, mandatory kindergarten, taking on lesser significance only in the first grade. The unworldly parent is first introduced to The Birthday Par- ' ty when the oldest child brings home a pekeleh (little bag) — a sack of half-eaten, assorted junk food containing a cheap plastic wristwatch or some other such item — and announces, "Ima, there was a birthday in my preschool today." The parent then notices that birthdays oc- cur in preschool with alarming frequency, and begins to wish that some parent would send apples or oranges instead of pekeleh, so that the children would have appetites afterward The child comes dressed in Shabbat clothing for the big day, for lunch. when he or she is indeed treat- Then one's own child, whose ed as royalty. The highlight of birthday may not be until near the end of the school year, starts The Birthday Party is the cere- the refrain, "When is my birth- mony the parent comes to watch. The child is seated in a day?" "Soon," is the inevitable an- specially decorated chair, along- side his mother, and a crown or swer. At last, the big day nears. _ wreath of flowers is placed on Preparations begin. A date is his head. scheduled with the preschool Suddenly, all the hours spent teacher and an exact time given running around town looking for pop-ices or 24 commercially for the parent, usually the moth- er, to report to class with all the packaged pekeleh are worth it. assorted birthday treats. The de- Birthday parties continue tailed list of what to bring varies through about fourth grade, but somewhat according to the once the child enters first grade preschool or school system. In my son's school, mothers are told to bring pekeleh, along with pop-ices (freeze pops) in warmer weather. Parents also are asked to buy an inexpensive gift, such as a ball or music cas- sette, for the preschool. In other preschools, the birthday boy or girl may be asked to give a pre- sent, such as a pencil or colorful eraser, for every child. Or, all the other children might be asked to bring a small gift for the birth- day child. the parties are much more sub- dued. Several birthdays are combined, and they may be cel- ebrated on Fridays, because of the short day. Certainly, birthday parties in the older grades are easier to plan, but memories of the elabo- rate celebrations carried out in preschool and kindergarten car- ry with them a certain sweet- ness. 0 Diane Schaefer lives with her husband, Akiva, in Neve Yaakov Mizrach. When not caringfor her two small children, Mrs. Schaefer works with computers at an international company based in Jerusalem.