Long time no post

Miriam back in America, acting nuts.

It's been a while, and the main reason I haven't updated the blog is because I wasn't officially authorized to do so (to write the more recent news).

However, over Purim many people came over to Chayale and myself an asked about our blog. They also knoew the whole story (or the basic gist of where we are now), so being that we are not massive media, I see no harm in giving an update. Hopefully this news never has to go to the public.

My last post (about the Stavropol situation) was written in Stavropol. We were all upbeat and relieved to not be thrown out of Russia for 5 years as Rabbi Silberstein from Vladivostok was.

That is, until we arrived in America.

Landing in JFK, we had to fill out our declaration cards. I pulled out my passport in order to put in the information and opened it to a page with a large stamp.

"That's odd," I thought, "I've never seen that before."

I looked closer, and the stamp read 'no entrance to Russia'. Period.

This got me worried, and I also found it odd that I wasn't told about it. It seemed odd because:

- The judge had ruled that we can return.
- I hadn't seen the authorities stamp my passport. They must have done this over Shabbos, when I was at home.

I assumed it was a mistake, or perhaps I hadn't translated it correctly, and so I emailed my secretary who confirmed that it meant I was kicked out of my shlichus.

She also added that:

- Or Avner's request to send me an invitation (standard procedure for getting a new visa) was cancelled. Igr Lerner was told that 'there was no way they were giving the Rabbi an invitation.'
- Someone who works in the immigration authorities had told someone in the community that we were to be kicked out for 5 years.

I immediately called Rabbi Lazar, who got the machinery going. Soon calls were pouring in from Moscow and New York, and I emailed all my documents to everyone who needed them.

I also received a copy of the WRITTEN judgement (forgot to mention that I didn't wait around for it on shabbos since I anyway wouldn't be able to carry it home. Instead I rushed home to the 25 guests). On this decision was written that I must pay a 2000 ruble fine, and 'as for whether he can stay in Russia, that is up to the authorities.'

Odd. I thought judges are supposed to stick to their rulings...

I sent that to rabbi Lazar too.

Letters poured in from my community. Some of them were beautiful. Lots of people asked what to do, how can they help. I explained that everything physical comes from spiritual as well, and they must take up extra Mitzvos. Some of them did so, and hopefully in their merit we will soon return.

They also started a petition, and should be able to get over 200 signatures, please G-d.

Now it's limbo time. We wait and wait for decisions to take place. I am appealing the courts decision, and hopefully they will make a clear judgement allowing us to stay PERMANENTLY and continue doing the good work we are doing there.