So this is a story that only happens to me. It’s 11pm on a tuesday night and my dear friend Leora Mishan calls to ask me what I’m doing tomorrow.
“uhhh…working?” I answer.
“Can you play a mom in a Charlie Harari video?” She asks.
“uhhh…what?”
She explains that the producers are in desperate need for a mom and she needs to be available from 9am -7pm the next day. She assured me that it’s not a speaking part, just everyday actions that Moms do and that it’s a tribute to Moms. And Oh yeah, Wissotsky Tea is sponsoring it.
I say I’d consider and by midnight I’m on the phone with Margelit Hoffman, wife and partner to Shmuel Hoffman who also directed of the famous “Disconnect to Connect” video that went viral. (See it here)
“Do you have any kids and would you let them be in the video and do you own a wig and modest clothes?” She asks.
Kids, I have and I suppose a day off of school for an experience is worthwhile. Modest clothes, I can pull together but a wig?
I text my old friend Yali from Yali’s Wigs and surprisingly she is up at this late hour and agrees to loan me a wig early the next day.
I wake my kids up their usual 6:30am but instead of rushing them to the bus I tell them that today they get to be in a video. Naturally they were pleased. I call hubbie who was in Taiwan to make sure he’s ok with me portraying another man’s wife and after assuring him the video will not go viral and no one will recognize me (all ploys to get him to say yes) he agreed. Margalit shows up at 8am to raid my closet and in the end a Teri Jon ivory dress was just right and fit the modest bill. By 9am I was getting fitted for a wig and by 10am, family and housekeeper in tow, we were in the beautiful home of the Stahlers shooting the video.
I marveled at how just 12 hours earlier I had no clue the next day would be this “interesting”. I like when life brings you good surprises and adventures.
My kids were angels, patiently hanging out between sets. I got a taste of what actors go through, albeit on a teeny tiny scale. But it really is work! My favorite was driving carpool with Shmuel curled up in a ball on the passenger floor directing us with the video camera taped to my dashboard. The Shabbat table scene was fun too and like my real table, my three year old wouldn’t sit still so I had to hold her. I also loved when Moishe, Shmuel and Margelit’s little boy, wiped his face after I kissed him goodnight (you can see that on the video). I don’t blame him.
Overall it was a fun experience and I am thrilled with the result of the talented work of the Hoffman’s. Charlie Harari did a great job with the narrative and making all the kids feel comfortable around the fake shabbat table (he even asked them to say some Dvar Torah’s).
Watching this really did make me realize just how amazing all of us moms are. So here’s to the mother! Every single one of us!

View video here:

Feb 28, 2012 / Blog