a balloontwister’s aliya saga

Busy weekend.

Well, Penina came back so things are semi back to normal. She took an early flight home so instead of being home 2 or 3.. she got to RBS at 12…. bearing many gifts.. for the kids… toys.. for the neighbors… Crystal light ice tea. I was never a big ice tea fan… but….it DOES hit the spot. Sugar free… no caffeine… its that time of the year here in Israel… very hot.. It’ll get hotter.. but its already getting there.

I took moshe to little league with Yoni as this is the first time in months that I’ve been able to join the team I was supposed to coach. They actually brought another coach in my stead to help out. The season is almost over but in the next few weeks that have a competition day… races… and things like that, as well as a party and all the kids get a trophy. They try to base the games around building up your skills and making sure the kids have fun. no one really takes the games that seriously.

Shabbos we went to Nof ayalon as we went to cousin rabbi eli reich and family. It was such a great shabbos as the kids really get along so well. All shabbos the kids were occupied as I tried to get Penina some sleep. Didn’t work though. Friday night the meal went to midnight and in the AM the little ones made too much noise.

After davening I went with Tamar to the Kenigs. The not as tall kenig. I learned a few things about the family. This kenig adds something in kiddush and I found out that a kenig is a lubavitch rav in indianapolis. Hmm… wonder why Kenny never told us that. This mrs. kenig though did not have homeade chocolate cake…. but… she had food prepared for the meal and Tamar didn;t hold back as she finished most of the family’s egg salad. Also The Staten Island kenig has better booze. Single malt VS. Orange Brandy.

Its a nice place nof ayalon. All dati. People seemed nice. One interesting thing is they WARN the person getting maftir more than 10 seconds before they call him up. Davening in the beige room (used to be green) I used to get 5 seconds to look over the haftorah.

Today I took Yoni, Moshe and Michal and 5 kids from my balloon chug to a small amusement park as Chayanu (the israel chai lifeline) had an event for their clients / families. We came an hour late and left an hour early… but I eneded up twisting for 4 solid hours. I brought my chug so I could:

a. Give them a chance to participate in the mitzva

b. Give ME a chance to get a break once in a while.

When the kids saw the rides, bumber cars, moon walks… there was a cl0ud of dust and they were gone. Oh well… its the thought that counts. A yasher koach to Rabbi Pinsky who is the director as well as my brother Dovid, who introduced me to him. They do great work and its an honor to be working for them. I noticed a familiar face as I was on my stilts. Chaim silber from sasregan / Rabbi rubin’s shul. Perhaps he is a sponsor. He was shocked to see me and it was good to see a face from the old country. He is a real nice guy and is really leibedic as well.

Well, on a sad note. 2 people in our area had parents who passed away so last night we went to a shiva call and this morning I davened at a shiva house.

On a happy note, we have a bris to go as the berzon family has a new addition. Hopefully we’ll have more simchot in the coming weeks.

Well, have a great day and enjoy the long weekend,

u.d.