This visit to the tent was purely a fact-finding mission — call it due diligence, the way mature, balanced people acted

Reuven could tell right away that it was a high-quality tent — the door easily slid open and shut softly, without making a sound.

Here he was, Reuven Stagler at Leil Shishi, how do you like that?

It was dark in the tent, so the people around the table in the corner couldn’t immediately see his face, which was a good thing. He tiptoed up to the table, and gently sat down on one of the folding chairs.

He knew that he would be noticed, and that someone would comment, and he was fine with it. He didn’t care anymore. The $50,000 Lauer had wired over for rabbinic associated costs, as he had recorded it on the council ledger, gave him a big advantage over Heshy, and he knew that he would win this little battle.

This visit to the tent was purely a fact-finding mission — call it due diligence, the way mature, balanced people acted. He wasn’t out to destroy anyone and he wasn’t planning to fight that way. It would be done respectfully, with consideration for Heshy and his family. But when the dust settled, Alameda Gardens would have a normal rav and Heshy Brucker would not be able to ignore the writing on the wall.

This was a phase.