Zhensky Den

In Russia they take their few holidays seriously.

Therefore, this past Shabbos, being Zhensky Den (womens day), the walk to shul was more intertesting than usual, with men all over rushing around carrying flowers, or watching their little children while their wives were (I'm assuming) out partying or finally catching up on sleep. Their were also romantic couples camped out all over, and several street bands singing lullabies. It was a fun experience, topped off with two soldiers, who stopped me to ask for cigarettes. When I explained them about Shabbos, they told me they were from Northern Ossetia and Dagestan, and they keep Shabbos on Friday (Muslims, I assume). Then they asked me if I knew Igor the Jew in the market, thereby giving me another name of a Jew to look for and perhaps invite for Shabbos.

Today is also Zhensky Den (2 days, perhaps because we are in the diaspora), and so the children gave Chayale a present. It was really cute.

I don't think I ever mentioned what we do each Sunday. So here is a report:

From 12:00 to 2:00 is Sunday school. Chayale has arranged for there to be kosher crafts and she does arts and cr4afts with the children in a genius way that there is always a lesson. She also teaches Alef Beis by having the kids color in all sorts of pictures that start with that letter (for example an 'ananas' for Aleph), and putting in their "alef-beis train" that Chayale made for each kid.

I teach a Jewish History class, which always turns into a discussion about different Jewish items, becuase while you teach history, you understand more Jewish things (such as, in explaining the sheishes yemei breishis you learn about shabbos...)

Then we go to meet the studnets, with whom we just chat.

I am trying to start classes. I plan to introduce them at Purim with a sign-up list.