Continued from last post...

...gave it over the head to the Rosh Hakahal, telling him that the money given to him, and the centre given to him is supposed to be used as a Shul. All the food there is supposed to be kosher, we are supposed to be working together, and he must realize that I am a Rabbi. Then R' Lazar said we should make a contract.

So we sat 7 hours together (should have taken half an hour, but he made an issue out of every little thing). Fnally, at 2 AM, he signed, after tremendous pressure from the people at the top. In it, he agreed that he is in charge of everything that doesnt have to do with Yiddishkeit (financially and practically), while we are responsible for everything that has to do with Yiddishkeit, inclduing making a shul, kosher kitchen, kosher food, etc.

We also will now be running the 'food for children' program, and the Sunday school.

2 - Chayales parents came to visist. Perfect timing too, as the water was shut off for 10 between 9-6 during the day, and hot water is off at all times. Day one we (read I, Zvi, Schlepper #1 in Stavropol) spent boiling pots on all the stovetops and making sure 2 kettles warmed up quickly, while running back and forth pouring boiling water into an empty tub before 9 o'clock hit. When the water was shut off, Miriam got naked and stepped into the bath. She would be the first, followed by Chaim, Chayale, and me. 5 seconds in, Miriam calls out "Pishy!" Yes, an immediate urination of our beloved bath.

We bathed regardless.

Friday we rented a hotel room for a day, which we had to do anyway in order to register the Greenbergs. When we asked for extra towels, they said they only give to people who rent the best rooms. Ths from the local intourist.

But turned out I was motioning 'towels' wrong. They thought I meant bathrobe. We got 5 towels, and took turns showering, finishing half hour before Shabbos. Miriam, I am happy to say, did not say 'pishy', or any other scary words during that ordeal. However, Hashem had other plans and when we came outside it was a downpour. And by 'downpour', I mean Niagara Falls. People were going by in canoes downpour. We raced to the car which was parked half a block away, and soaked and cold we rushed back home. We got home in our new Shabbos clothes (now smelly and wet), and flew to the front door of the apartment building. Unfortunately the entrance to our building is not equipped with such basic equipment as a DRAIN, and so we were forced to stop.

"Never fear, I will lead you through," was the courageous words of Rebbetzin "Nachshon ben Aminadav" Greenberg, who stepped through the knee-deep water, sopping her shoes forever. We followed behind, holding our babies high above our heads, supposedly to protect them from the puddle, but in reality to protect our heads from the rain.

Oh, forgot to mention: I saw an AWESOME bolt of lightning.

Anyway, we made it home, changed, just in time for guests to arrive for Shabbos.

3 - Chayale is Moses. She joined askmoses.com but she might be kicked off, since after a fantastic first week, she missed the second one due to an emergency, and this week she was all ready at 3 our time, and suddenyl the electricity went out. She ran to an internet cafe, and found out she had to download the java to do it.

Meanwhile, back home, the lights went on. I decided to cover for her, and for the first time, filled Moses' shoes. I was in middle of speaking to someone, and BAM! The lights went out again.

Next post: the sefer torah event. But I must go to sleep now.