a balloontwister’s aliya saga

I apologize to those who have been looking for my blogs…and to rabbi spolter as well. Rabbi Spolter, of Oak Park wanted to know why I don’t write about detroit….

Its NOT because there is nothing to write.
Its due to comments that several people made months ago. Something along the lines of…
“I don’t want to learn about (insert name of US city) I thought this was an blog about Life in Israel.”
A valid point.
The truth is this blog was started mainly to keep in touch with friends and family. With that said, I’m going to try and blog on a more regular basis. I once thought I’d only blog if I had something interesting to say. If I would have held to that, I think I would have 3 entries.
Detroit is actually a very friendly town. This past shabbos I was waiting on the sidewalk for my shabbos host to come home from shul… trying to ward off hyperthermia….. and I was invited in to wait by a family accross the street. I dont think I would have invited someone who has a face that is blue.
I spent shabbos at Michoel Eisemann, son of Rabbi Eisemann of Ner Israel. I emailed rav eisemann as I am a listener to his podcasts on the parsha. He emailed me back and got me in touch with his son who lives in Oak PArk, the jewish suburb of Detroit. Super friendly family. I also met many from shul and have gotten several invites for upcoming shabbosim. …I guess the smaller the town… the more a stranger is noticed. Or… perhaps… people are just friendlier…
I think the best part is…LEFTOVERS.
As I was leaving Mrs. Eisemann gave me leftovers from shabbos.. Chicken and some olives.
Looks like it will be chicken every night this week…
I’ve actually been cooking these days.
Rice.
LAst night I decided to REALLY go out on a limb and I put rice IN soup…. I know…. what you’re thinking … Yudie is a gourmet chef… but really.. it wasn’t that difficult…
I also went all out last week one night. I went to a deli place and had a burger with pastrami. I can’t recall the last time I had a burger and it was actually pretty good. Not as good as the homemade vegtable rice soup / stew that I hipped up… but it was pretty good. This week with the leftovers it will be different… alot different.
usually I have oatmeal 2 times a day and rice or turkey / Tuna wrap at night. This week… oatmeal every morning and lunch and chicken at night. I think thats healthy. I have my first balloon gig in a while next week in Detroit.
Im donating my time to teach some kids and then head over to a senior center. There is a learning program in the Young Israel of Oak Park that has a session for kids on sundays… so I figured… why not…as a small gesture of thanks to welcoming me I can give a bit of my time.
There are a few families from Kollel Metzion that run the program for adults and kids and I figured a pre purim chessed program was in order.
If I can’t do it in Israel, why not in Oak Park…

Lets give a family update…
I can’t give Penina updates… She doesn’t like to be on the blog.. so you’ll have to get the lowdown from her.
Yoni started bar mitzva lessons… I’m not giving him the lessons… so he will probably sound good. He was the tamud of the week a few weeks ago and has been doing well in school. Because he was doing so well, I bought him a bat. Unfortunately…. When a batted ball meets a car window….. crunch. I don’t think Mendy Newman was ever happy to have me as a neighbor but I think we hit a new low as far as neighbor foreign relations. good thing Insurance is paying for the glass. Yoni is also traveling to the US to be at my Nephew’s Bar Mitzvah, Yehuda. He’ll be in the US for a week and a half. For Purim and for the next shabbos. I hope he doesn’t run to the consultate and ask for asylum. That would be embrarressing.
Michal has been busy swimming with Penina and has been emailing me on a regular basis. If you want to email her, She’d be happy to respond… michalakselrud@yahoo.com. We’re not sure of where her Bat Mitzva will be… or when…as My niece Miri is having hers around the same time as well. We’re trying to co ordinate the 2 simchot to minimize the travel of the mishpacha.
Moshe has been doing fine as well. He goes to the same tutor Yoni goes to and now his hebrew has been showing major improvement . He is also doing quite well on the baseball field. He is not only the youngest kid on his team, he’s the youngest in the entire league and is doing well. Despite being nervous in the onset, his confidence level has improved and does his own thing.
Tamar broke another DVD player. So I have to shlep it back to best buy and get it fixed…. Some things never change. just bring her a Dora the explorer toy of some kind… and she’s your friend for life. I hate buying into these fads…
“Excuse me, where is the Dora The Explorer Floating Bathtub set”
I think you cross over to the Nerdy dad mode when you start asking for dolls and the like at Target and Toys r us.
Not a great moment.
Choosing a bat for your kid.
No problem.
Picking up marbles or stationary.
No problem.
Getting flowers.
No problem.
But having to ask for Dora the Explorer excessories…hmmm… something emasculating about that..
Well, I’m going to get back to work…. and then leave… SHHhh….
Jay