“I love it, Dini. I absolutely love it. You’re… you’re really on a roll with your ideas”

The setting wasn’t quite as elaborate as the last CT Volunteer Club event, but the ambience was definitely more intimate, Dini decided as she greeted the ladies, who returned her welcome like old friends.

She was hosting once again, but this time, she’d refrained from going the party planner route. The vibe she needed was homey and comfortable, not knock their socks off. Lasagna and homemade muffins, not sushi and cheese boards. (And if her homemade muffins and lasagna were café-bought, did she have to tell?)

Dini stood up to start the program, scanning the room as she did so. Twenty-two women out of the 25 from their launch event had shown up; not bad at all, she thought with a grin.

She cleared her throat, and the room quieted down.

“This is it, girls! Everyone in this room is now officially a member of the CT Volunteers. Who’s excited?” She grinned and waved her fist in the air, feeling like she was color war captain once again. Someone began to clap in response and soon the whole room had erupted in applause.

“Okay, so here’s the plan for today. Rebbetzin Greenblatt will be coming at eleven thirty to inspire us all about the importance of chesed and the proper way to do it.” Dini had come up with the topic herself, and was proud of it.

“Which means,” she continued, “that we have about forty five minutes to do our first Chesed Tzirel project!”