She’s one of the pillars of our new town — and she hates me

T

ehillah pressed her palms into the smooth leather of the passenger seat and stared out the window. If she focused really well on the landscape, she could almost pretend they were just driving to visit Meir’s parents in Canada.

Meir turned toward her, straightening his tie. “You okay?”

She swallowed and forced a smile. She could do this. She could do hard. Getting married at 28 had been hard, too, but Meir was worth it. She would do this for him.

“Great.”

“Exciting, no?” he said, tapping his hand on the steering wheel to the beat of the music. “Our first Oakmont event.”

He grinned and she smiled back.

They arrived at the park, and Tehillah stepped out onto the grass. A cacophony of little voices and the smell of barbecue bombarded her senses.

There was a large banner that proclaimed, “Oakmont Torah Center BBQ.” Tehillah scanned the park, spotting small groups of women standing together. On the other side of the field, the men were playing football. Welcome to Oakmont indeed.

Was Lakewood really only a two-and-something-hour plane ride away? It felt like another planet.

Meir strode forward pushing Ahuva’s stroller and Tehillah had to speed up to walk with him. Holding Donny’s hand, it was hard. Her husband was itching to go work the crowd, Tehillah could tell.

“Go ahead, I’ll be fine,” she said. He gave her a grateful smile and was off.

She firmly gripped the stroller and strode forward.

At the far right she finally found a cluster of the other kollel wives standing near the cotton candy machine. They were nice, but so young. Over the last week, they’d all come by to welcome her to Oakmont, with cookies and bars and warm smiles of welcome. Tehillah pushed aside the thought that these girls had probably been sixth graders when she was graduating, and headed toward them.

“Hi, Tehillah!”

And for the hundredth time, Tehillah thought about how this had all happened. A few short months ago she’d been happily settled in Lakewood. Her siblings nearby, the shopping, the hustle, her thriving organizing business. There had been no plans to move to Yehupitz.