Monday afternoon, all 4 kids came in by train, leaving behind the ashes and sorrow of New York City. Bess joined us for dinner, as did the Landys, who now have a hazokoh on Erev Rosh Hashana. Carol modified her annual tekes to incorporate the disaster that we had gone through the week before, and the hard times that were sure to follow in the year ahead. Still, it would, we hoped and prayed be a year of rejoicing with new life, new unions, new homes, and renewed love and spirit among us all.

We had the wine,

the bread,

the apples with honey,

the dates,

the beets,

the grapes,

the head of lettuce (not as good as the head of a fish, which we used to have),

and a wonderful turkey dinner, with spinach soup, sweet potato and pecan casserole, beans, onions, and tomatoes, and three kinds of wine: Rosemount merlot, Marques de Carceres Rioja rosé, and Silverado chardonnay. For dessert, a luscious chocolate cake, and divine fresh Bartlett pears poached in Spanish rosé wine.

Tuesday, we went to Temple, and it was packed, not a seat left by 10:15 AM. It was good to see Andy Blazar reading the haftarah like his father before him, Andy now looking rather like his father did when we first came to town. Alvan was wonderful, inspiring, leading us confidently towards hope. Jules Rosenberg invites you to sing with him.

Tuesday afternoon, we had our annual post-Tashlich reception. [For the goyim,Tashlich is where we gather at the river, and cast in our sins, in the form of bread crumbs.] Somehow the crowd seemed a bit smaller and more subdued, but it was wonderful to be among good friends at such a time.

Tuesday evening, Andy, Neal, and Jonathan returned to New York.

Wednesday, we returned to Alvan's shul, and I read the Akedah (binding of Isaac) with my usual dramatic flourishes. We picked up Bess after services and were joined by Janet and Daniella for a lunch of chicken Marbella (chicken with prunes and olives--a dish favored by constipated Italians).

Later, Barbara and Evie joined us on their way back from New York to Boston.
..

..

Marjorie and Carol took the six o'clock train to New York, and we were back where we started a week ago. Not.