The Stavropol-Montreal connection

Zakhar and Irina Faivushkin, our friends in Stavropol.

To sum up my day in one word: supertatty.

I was sick and stayed home from work, but nevertheless found the time and effort to call my sisters-in-law and demand that they get the kids away from me.

They took on some resposibility, but I still brought Miriam to school, and at the end of the day singlehandedly made them a wonderful supper which consisted of putting 20 dollars down at the counter by pizza pita and ordering 3 slices of plain plus a big strawberry milkshake.

I also bathed them and changed so many poops that at the end of the day when I washed my hands with soap I couldn't get used to the new smell on my arms (side question: as a child if I said a swearword (theoretically. I never ACTUALLY used swearwords. I even used to say "I pronise" with an 'N') I would get soap put into my mouth. It was supposed to clear my dirty mind. I was always wondered, shouldn't they have smeared the soap on my tuchis instead? after all, my grandmother used to say regarding potching "there is a direct connection from the tuchis to the brain.").

Chayale needed me to make some emergency phone calls to find a customs broker and movers etc so wshe can give the company in Russia the information before she leaves, and I spent several hours calling people only to find out that "I think this is what company X does" only to be connected to some company that sells yachts.

I even had my mother on the case, and at one point during the day she called me triumphantly. "I found it!" She yelled into the phone. "Let me give you the website for the Canadian Customs!!!"

I sat down and got ready to put to paper the words "canadiancustoms.com" and she started rattled off the following explaining every letter (as in s for Steven, c for Charlie...). I cut her off after about 5 minutes of this, and I share with you where I was up to (this is a fact):

w (as in Wilson) ww.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/rc4151-v

At that point I cut her off and said, "Ma, it's ok. I found a different number and got a quote."

And while we're on the topic, my mother was on the phone the other day using those military codes for letters and she was really messing them up. She was saying (this is totally true):

"B as in Bought,
D as in Dot,
C as in Cot..."

I was like, "Ma, isn't the point of putting words to the letters so people can differentiate which letter you meant?"

But I finally got the information and called Chayale back to relay it. She had some exciting news. Irina Faivushkina is in Montreal!!

Let me backtrack a little. Before I left to Stavropol, I tried to find out if there were any relatives of Stavropol Jews in Montreal to whom I can speak to and find out what life is like there etc.

The only connection we had and felt like it was total hashgacha protis was that Chayale had a friend from when she was in Detroit for 3 years who was from Stavropol and had relatives there. When we got to Stavropol, we had the name "Tamara Avshalumova" and a phone number which turned out to be the wrong number. Eventually not only did we meet her and her entire family, but her sister-in-law became a big supporter of ours and we had that whole story on Chanukah when we said Kaddish for her brother-in-law (look in the archives this past Chanukah to read it. It's quite an amazing Hashgacha protis story in itself).

Also, this friend in Detroit had a like 18 year old son who visited and was extremely helpful in organizing her nephew Reuven's Bar Mitzvah, which was also inspirational.

But still, no Stavropol-Montreal connection.

But then, on one of our 'exiles' (we had to leave Russia every 3 months for visa issues) in Montreal, I had an idea (I believe this is also on the blog somewhere) to go to the Russian department in the 'Y', and find out if the lady in charge knows anyone in Montreal originally from Stavropol.

I made an appointment with a Mrs. Freiman (I believe that was her name). When I told her what I wanted, her eyes got moist and she said, "I am from Stavropol."

She knew of no other Stavropol Jews in Montreal, but her relative was in Stavropol and he needed help (he's a doctor who has mental issues). I had met her relative, and he was such a sweet guy. We spoke for an hour, she cried a little reminiscing and gave me a photo of her father to give to her relative. I am ashamed to say that I never got the opportunity to see him since that meeting, and still hold the picture of her father O"H which I hope to get to him someday.

So that was one Stavropol Jew in Montreal.

Then one day in Stavropol, I received a phone call. A woman speaking fluent English was on the line.

"Are you the rabbi of Stavropol?"

"Yes I am. How may I help you?"

"My name is Irina Faivushkina. My friend told me that a Rabbi had come to our city, and I am so excited. I would love to meet you!"

I met her and her sweet husband Zakhar, a quiet guy originally from Arkhangelsk who had met her just 3 years earlier on a trip in Israel, and they became family friends, and constant Shabbos guests. He works as a security guard for the city post office, and she is a prestigious professor who teaches electricity in a university. They're such a sweet couple.

She has a daughter Maria, who is married and lives... you guessed it! In Montreal!

Our next time in Montreal we met them and invited them over for a Shabbos meal (they are such a sweet young couple). We would meet them several more times, and they even showed up to Chaim's bris. Actually they were the only non-relatives to give us a gift at the circumcision. Maria's husband Eduard put on Tefillin there too!

That made 2 Stavropol Jews in Montreal.

Last week I wrote on here about Kostya Solomonov's brother (or cousin, still not sure), who just moved to Montreal. We spoke over the phone, but have yet to meet. It's difficult to organize a time when Chayale isn't around. The more interesting part of it is that his wife is Hillel (Gennady) Davidov's sister! The Davidovs were our best friends in Russia!

Make that 3 druzya v Montreal!

Today Chayale let out a bombshell.

Irina is in Montreal! She leaves at the end of the week! I called her and we organized that on Thursday (when Chayale's back), we will go out, perhaps to eat at a kosher restaurant.

She also told me that this past Pesach was the saddest holiday they'd ever had. Some Bochurim came over, but apparently they were rude people, because the community didn't like them. Instead they spoke about our family the entire time.

She said that Yefim (the president of the community) doesn't show his face anywhere anymore, and is terrified because the youth of the community apparently are furious at him for kicking us out.

She said that we are extremely missed, and that whenever people speak, they say how much they want us back. I told her that we probably can't return and she said that they don't want a different Rabbi and they think that over time I'll be allowed to return. Would I please return then? I told her I would love to.

You know that? it's the truth. I wish something would happen and we could stay... I wish whatever it is could happen before Chayale actually ships the stuff (which will take place tomorrow).

But maybe my job is supposed to be taking of the Stavropol ex-pats in Montreal...