We are doing well here, Shabbos-wise, all things considered. This is due in no small part to me waking up in the wee hours of the morning to start the kugel and the soup. Mendel was absolutely thrilled to have fresh kugel for breakfast. I just hope there is some left for Shabbos. I made two pies, which Mendel was eying eagerly. I hope they are still around when I get back to the house. As far as guests - not really sure yet. As usual.
I misplaced (doesn't that word sound so much better than lost?) my registration card, which one recieves upon setting foot on the holy soil of Russia, and is supposed to hold on to until departure. Oddly enough, I have everyone else's cards, and our papers that we received about registering our presence in Vladivostok.
So, of course, there is a procedure to be followed when one loses a registration card. It must be reported within three days, and a new card can be obtained at that time. So today, I went with our secretary to the immigration offices to obtain a new card. It was a relatively painless procedure, although we did get yelled at by various secretaries, as per the norm.
I am now the proud owner of a new registration card. That means that I should have no problems leaving the country next Wednesday. Please G-d.
Have a great Shabbos!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Of Hopes and Efforts
So, as everyone knows by now, the judge, a sour faced, middle aged woman, ruled against us. Yisroel was kicked out of the country, and we need to pay a fine. But he doesn't need to leave yet. She didn't even take out arguemnets of witnesses into account. So we are appealing, and praying really hard.
It's really strange - on one hand, we dont know if we will be here in a few more weeks. On the other hand, we are continuing to do what we came here to do. Which means that we are hosting lots of people, for meetings and chassidic gatherings and Shabbos meals and stuff. Catered by yours truly. And I am working hard on our next Women's Club, scheduled for February 2nd. English school is growing. The kids are learning tons ofEnglish, and about Judaism too, and I am thrilled to be teaching again. I forgot how much I loved teaching. Friday brought us a huge snowstorm, which Vladivostok was entirely unprepared for. So we had a small crowd in the synagogue on Shabbos. I was the only women, which was pretty lonely. But there were 6 men, and they really got into it. Lots of dancing and singing. Joy breaks through all boundries, as the chassidic saying goes. They want to organize a miyan for next week.
We are planning a big community gathering for next Sunday. We are going to ask people to take on mitzvos, in the merit of which, we hope, the court decision will be reversed.
It should be a busy week.
It's really strange - on one hand, we dont know if we will be here in a few more weeks. On the other hand, we are continuing to do what we came here to do. Which means that we are hosting lots of people, for meetings and chassidic gatherings and Shabbos meals and stuff. Catered by yours truly. And I am working hard on our next Women's Club, scheduled for February 2nd. English school is growing. The kids are learning tons ofEnglish, and about Judaism too, and I am thrilled to be teaching again. I forgot how much I loved teaching. Friday brought us a huge snowstorm, which Vladivostok was entirely unprepared for. So we had a small crowd in the synagogue on Shabbos. I was the only women, which was pretty lonely. But there were 6 men, and they really got into it. Lots of dancing and singing. Joy breaks through all boundries, as the chassidic saying goes. They want to organize a miyan for next week.
We are planning a big community gathering for next Sunday. We are going to ask people to take on mitzvos, in the merit of which, we hope, the court decision will be reversed.
It should be a busy week.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Week(s) in Review
Quick one, because I got to get home and make dinner.
1. We spent last Shabbos in Birobidzhan. Really fun trip. We flew to Khabarovsk, and then drove to Birobidzhan, usually a 2.5 hour ride, but, due to snow and icy weather, and lack of street cleaning and a car without snow wheels, it took us 5.5 hours. Then we raced to get dressed and go the bar mitzva we went in for. The have a beautiful Jewish museum there, made by the rabbi and is wife. (Well, mostly his wife who is an amazing artist.) Maybe some other day I'll post pictures.
2. I attended synagogue this past Shabbos. I've been going lately, but this week I wasn't going to, becuase only one woman shows up, and she was out of town this week. But then I went. And two ladies came! And one of then was youngish! And close to a minyan of men. And good food, including chicken soup. (Did I ever mention that our chicken came for Shabbos? We are now chicken-eating people again, haivng gone for three months without)
3. We had guests over Shabbos day - first time in a while. It was a bit draining, but really nice.
4. English school is going well. The kids really like it. I have discovered that, despite my fears, I have not forgotton how to teach. We are searching for a new place to hold it, as it is difficult to do it my living room, and another teacher.
5. Yesterday, we hosted out women's club for Tu B'shvat. A doctor came and spoke about spices. Espcially which ones are good for health, and which ones are not. Pretty boring for me, since I didn't really understand it, but the ladies really enjoyed. We sold some old copies of Mir Evreiski Zhenshina, a Russian Jewish magazine for women. So some people read the magazine during the doctor's speech, but they insisted that they enjoyed anyway. About 15 people showed up. Then we played a fun game. And everyone's really excited about our next club, which is in 3 weeks! Time to get cracking on that.
6. Some great friends of ours are making some problems for us, and insisting that we have an improper visa. The court case is on Wednesday, 3 PM. Pray for us.
1. We spent last Shabbos in Birobidzhan. Really fun trip. We flew to Khabarovsk, and then drove to Birobidzhan, usually a 2.5 hour ride, but, due to snow and icy weather, and lack of street cleaning and a car without snow wheels, it took us 5.5 hours. Then we raced to get dressed and go the bar mitzva we went in for. The have a beautiful Jewish museum there, made by the rabbi and is wife. (Well, mostly his wife who is an amazing artist.) Maybe some other day I'll post pictures.
2. I attended synagogue this past Shabbos. I've been going lately, but this week I wasn't going to, becuase only one woman shows up, and she was out of town this week. But then I went. And two ladies came! And one of then was youngish! And close to a minyan of men. And good food, including chicken soup. (Did I ever mention that our chicken came for Shabbos? We are now chicken-eating people again, haivng gone for three months without)
3. We had guests over Shabbos day - first time in a while. It was a bit draining, but really nice.
4. English school is going well. The kids really like it. I have discovered that, despite my fears, I have not forgotton how to teach. We are searching for a new place to hold it, as it is difficult to do it my living room, and another teacher.
5. Yesterday, we hosted out women's club for Tu B'shvat. A doctor came and spoke about spices. Espcially which ones are good for health, and which ones are not. Pretty boring for me, since I didn't really understand it, but the ladies really enjoyed. We sold some old copies of Mir Evreiski Zhenshina, a Russian Jewish magazine for women. So some people read the magazine during the doctor's speech, but they insisted that they enjoyed anyway. About 15 people showed up. Then we played a fun game. And everyone's really excited about our next club, which is in 3 weeks! Time to get cracking on that.
6. Some great friends of ours are making some problems for us, and insisting that we have an improper visa. The court case is on Wednesday, 3 PM. Pray for us.
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