a balloontwister’s aliya saga

Simchas torah and geshem mixed together equals a very long day…
Its quite an experience having simchas torah in RBS, the singing … dancing….
Even walking home you hear it in the streets…
In Aish Kodesh an announcement was made NOT to sing your own song… but rather have it approved by the gabbai. Apparently there was a fight last year, people were singing their own songs… led to a huge balagon.
Unfortunately for them, I don’t do simchas torah that way.
I MAKE the balagon.
While singing “yisroel btach bashem” for the third time and interrupting some other song that was “overplayed” I was told to stop or face getting hit.
I stopped.
When I was handed the sfer torah I figured No one would hit a man holding the sefer torah.
I was right. Whew.
In the morning I had a few kids singing yisroel btach hashem and even the rebbi joined in.
THEN, I changed moshe emes vsoraso emes… to
Moshe braun is the gabbai.
(Moshe braun is the gabbi, fyi)
He didn’t mind it at first.
Or the first 50 times.
Then when half the shul started singing it… and when he made the announcements at mincha… and ma’ariv… I think he WAS starting to mind.
I hope to keep it going the entire year.
Moshe Braun is the gabbai.
Moshe Braun is the gabbai..
(repeat throughout the song)
Not bad, eh?
After a few hakafot at Aish, we went to Beis Tefilla.
I asked someone where the candy for the kids were.
He said, “some grandfather from NY has suitcases full….etc”"
Milton!
Milty was in the basement with a mask on, I think, handing out candy to dozens of kids.
THe next day I heard he had pizza ordered for the chutzniks to eat after their aliyos on the second day of yom tov.
After beis tefilla we wandered to the Yeshiva and saw cousin zanvy.
He did 300 blatt gemora for atah haresa, he said he is allowed to learn 60 and review it 5 times…. but… I mean.. thats almost daf yomi.
Looks like zanvy is going to have a busy year…. baruch H-shem!
Dovid’s kugals for chabad went well… so he’s BACK in.
Last night we had a goodbye BBQ, for Ruthie, aliza, and Avi. They left at 4:30 in the morning by taxi.
It was sad as it seems like the 2 weeks they were here flew by.
I think next time ruthie will NOT be staying with us for the entire length. She also wants to get a car next time. I think 2 1/2 weeks with the kids and cousins… and packing.. repacking… etc.. is a bit much.
Last night was a bit sad for Penina and Myself.
The goodbyes are not easy.
When will the kids see avi next? or Aliza? Or Ruthie?
We have email and the 718 phone number.. but… its not the same.
well, I’m going to sign off.
Congrats to the White Sox!
It was a good baseball season.
As it says in the seforim.
“any year in which the YAnkees do NOT win, is a good year”
U.D.