“You got the position you’ve always wanted. I was being supportive! I picked up and moved!”
Chana, you are the worst. EVER. I finally make a friend and you go and abandon me.
I chuckled reading Abby’s text and quickly responded. I am not the worst ever. I’m just someone who prioritizes and put you on the bottom. I’ll call you later, I must make shul phone calls and supper!
I got out a pot to start on supper, must get a move on it, it’s late. My phone buzzed again.
That by definition is the worst ever. Talk to you later.
Whew, she wasn’t too upset. I mushed the bag of ground beef, good, it had defrosted. I reached for a bowl and the spices. Meatball Monday, here we come.
I paused a second to take out the list Avrumi had given me of three board member wives. I met them all the week we went for the pruba. Nice people, very official.
I dialed the first, Devorah Kalish — her husband was the shul VP. No answer. I left a perky “Thank you” message. Next, Yehudis Schloss, her husband was president of the shul and the one who’d officially hired Avrumi. I got out a pot for the pasta. She answered as I was filling it with water.
“Hello?”
I turned the water off. “Hi, this is Chana Schwartzberg.”
“Rebbetzin Schwartzberg, so nice to hear from you.”
I cringed at the title. “I’m just calling to thank you for the platter you and the Neshei sent over this past Shabbos. It was so beautiful and thoughtful. It really made our family feel welcome.”
“I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Also glad that you called, you were on my to-do list. The Neshei is having a small get-together at my house. We’re going to make shanah tovah gifts for our kids’ teachers. It’s really just an excuse to get together, but I was hoping you could say a few words. It’s a great chance for everyone to meet you, and for you to help us help our kids start the new year on the right foot.”
I never met a get-together I didn’t like. Although I’ve never made shanah tovah gifts for teachers. Was I supposed to?
“I’d love to come. And thanks for giving me the opportunity to meet with the kehillah’s wives. I’m just not so sure about speaking. I’m still drowning in the paper towels I used to pack all my dishes.”
“Rebbetzin Schwartzberg, of course we want to give you time to settle down, but I also really wanted to discuss the Elul programing with you, sooner rather than later. This past year a few of us in the kehillah married off children, I think addressing that group is important. And there’s always the mothers who spend Yamim Noraim at home, they need to feel inspired and connected.
“I was also thinking of starting a teen girl program. There’s so much focus on minyanim for boys, I thought the girls could use a bit of community boost. Do you think we could meet for coffee or lunch tomorrow? Or Wednesday, if that’s not good?”
I leaned against the counter, the box of pasta slipping from my hand. “Yehudis, I appreciate you trying to involve me in Neshei programming, but like you said, I need time to settle down, help the kids settle in. Also, I’m not really the speaker type — like, I find out what parshah it is from my kids’ parshah sheets.”
