"This hasn't been the easiest week. Still no power and it's freezing. Kids (of all ages) going stir crazy. Memories of 1973 ever-present...we leave the house in search of gas....more to get out of the cold house and into a warm car.
After five days...Shabbos was approaching and I began daydreaming of warmth. Warm challah. And chicken soup. And, well, a working furnace.
I reached out to Rabbi G to inquire, hopefully, about First Shabbos... Was he going to hold the community event as usual...(likened after First Friday wine-in-hand, gallery crawls in artsy towns). A quick text came back to me...Yes!
Ok... Something to look forward to other than getting power back on!
I went to my in laws house and told them we would be picking then up at 5 pm to take them with us. They hesitated. No power there either, but inertia can be far more powerful a force than darkness and cold.
I don't take no for an answer.
We loaded up the cars and headed to Toms River. Needed two cars..ugh, the drain on already-rationed gas. No matter, we were on our way.
We arrived to many hellos and a welcome fragrant reminder that our low-hanging-fruit dream, (namely a shiver-less evening) was about to be fulfilled.
And it was. We prayed! We drank and ate! We laughed and sang! We connected with old friends and new.
We were warm at last. And it had nothing to do with chicken soup.
We were home."
ב"ה