Chai Lifeline is wonderful
Chai Lifeline gave us money for five months. Thats not all. At the end they came out to visit us. On L's birthday, Z's birthday and R's's birthday they sent via Federal Express a balloon. Then they took pictures brought treats and presents. Then when the were leaving the invited us to their annual retreat on a Shabbat in January. It was all expenses paid too. Airfare included. They encourage you to visit relatives. My family was of course excluded since S can't stand them. We did agree to visit S's brother M in Philadelphia.
So we flew in early on a Friday morning to LaGuardia airport. Another family was picked up there as well. They flew in from Canada. S made us get up at 4AM. Chai Lifeline made us take the absolute earliest flight. We landed in NJ around 9:30. Then the van took us the four hours to the resort. All the food was kosher too. No car seat for Z. Now this was a limosine company. It was freezing cold too. If my parents screwed that up S would have been screaming at them forever. We complained when we got there. When the retreat was over, again no car seat. They drove us too Philadelphia.
The man of the family in the car with us was a Torah teacher in Canada. I had studied my parsha and asked him questions on the way. He was impressed. The man driving was the owner of the limosine company. It was his fault we couldn't arrive later. He was worried about getting back to upstate (Mundy I think) before sundown. So we got there before the conference even started. Everyone was exhausted. We tried to rest in the room and it didn't work. I was disappointed the candlelighting that started at 5:21 PM was completely self serve and disorganized. You walk and grad a 1 inch candle, that's it. Totally optional.
There were some very traditional Chasids there. Services around the clock. We were able to watch TV in our rooms. They used keys instead of automatic locks. For Friday night services I was treated to more Parsha drash from two sermons. Once again glad I studied. The Torah guy on the limo put the good word in about me to the Rabbi who's name was Rabbi Simchas I think. Everyone there had a son or daughter with cancer. They had young volunteers who watched your kids for you so you could attend the discussions. All services were divided into men and women. Swimming was divided too. After much wine, kissing the kids good night and song (can you tell I'm reading lord of the rings? so my writing sounds like that?) the men met with their psychologist and the women theirs. I broke the ice. I was on time and the rest were twenty minutes late. My tounge was loose from the food etc. The song was good too. Our group was one of three groups. I only imagined what the women were discussing. Much Hebrew was sprinkled in everyone's speech. So I was glad I studied as much as I did and still try to do. When we all met up.
On Shabbat morning S called me an asshole and every other name in the book. For no apparent reason at 7AM while I was changing a dirty diaper. There were 5 meals that day. Apparently it was the usual charge not helping and my parents were from Fuckwhole land.
So we had a quick breakfast and there in the buffet one chasid women says to the other how was your night and the other says baruch Hashem it was too short. Then off to services and another breakfast. At this breakfast I ate nothing since it was my second breakfast. I treated it like a cocktail. Hey I can't help it I was depressed. My wife was being a complete bitch and everyone else was can't you feel the love and spirituality and shabbat shalom etc.
My men in the group said drink some whiskey it loosens the tounge. I was twenty minutes late. My next drink was left there by me and I said sure whatever you say. I was one of the early ones. Some decided to skip. I wanted to get my "money's worth" and go to all sessions. The kids were taken care of so why not listen to all the guys stories. Finally around 4:20 I passed out in my room for 20 minutes before another service. Baruch Hashem a shabbos nap. More meals. Saturday night was a carnival. I was watching Z most of the night and taking pictures of the two of us while drinking more whiskey. It looked like apple juice.
So we flew in early on a Friday morning to LaGuardia airport. Another family was picked up there as well. They flew in from Canada. S made us get up at 4AM. Chai Lifeline made us take the absolute earliest flight. We landed in NJ around 9:30. Then the van took us the four hours to the resort. All the food was kosher too. No car seat for Z. Now this was a limosine company. It was freezing cold too. If my parents screwed that up S would have been screaming at them forever. We complained when we got there. When the retreat was over, again no car seat. They drove us too Philadelphia.
The man of the family in the car with us was a Torah teacher in Canada. I had studied my parsha and asked him questions on the way. He was impressed. The man driving was the owner of the limosine company. It was his fault we couldn't arrive later. He was worried about getting back to upstate (Mundy I think) before sundown. So we got there before the conference even started. Everyone was exhausted. We tried to rest in the room and it didn't work. I was disappointed the candlelighting that started at 5:21 PM was completely self serve and disorganized. You walk and grad a 1 inch candle, that's it. Totally optional.
There were some very traditional Chasids there. Services around the clock. We were able to watch TV in our rooms. They used keys instead of automatic locks. For Friday night services I was treated to more Parsha drash from two sermons. Once again glad I studied. The Torah guy on the limo put the good word in about me to the Rabbi who's name was Rabbi Simchas I think. Everyone there had a son or daughter with cancer. They had young volunteers who watched your kids for you so you could attend the discussions. All services were divided into men and women. Swimming was divided too. After much wine, kissing the kids good night and song (can you tell I'm reading lord of the rings? so my writing sounds like that?) the men met with their psychologist and the women theirs. I broke the ice. I was on time and the rest were twenty minutes late. My tounge was loose from the food etc. The song was good too. Our group was one of three groups. I only imagined what the women were discussing. Much Hebrew was sprinkled in everyone's speech. So I was glad I studied as much as I did and still try to do. When we all met up.
On Shabbat morning S called me an asshole and every other name in the book. For no apparent reason at 7AM while I was changing a dirty diaper. There were 5 meals that day. Apparently it was the usual charge not helping and my parents were from Fuckwhole land.
So we had a quick breakfast and there in the buffet one chasid women says to the other how was your night and the other says baruch Hashem it was too short. Then off to services and another breakfast. At this breakfast I ate nothing since it was my second breakfast. I treated it like a cocktail. Hey I can't help it I was depressed. My wife was being a complete bitch and everyone else was can't you feel the love and spirituality and shabbat shalom etc.
My men in the group said drink some whiskey it loosens the tounge. I was twenty minutes late. My next drink was left there by me and I said sure whatever you say. I was one of the early ones. Some decided to skip. I wanted to get my "money's worth" and go to all sessions. The kids were taken care of so why not listen to all the guys stories. Finally around 4:20 I passed out in my room for 20 minutes before another service. Baruch Hashem a shabbos nap. More meals. Saturday night was a carnival. I was watching Z most of the night and taking pictures of the two of us while drinking more whiskey. It looked like apple juice.
posted by ptjew @ 1:11 AM
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