Pony Express

Sabbath the way you want it!

Ever been a stranger in a brand new city, not knowing anyone, walking around, no cell phone in site, four people expecting to be wherever you’re leading them to, any minute?

Ok, most people don’t know that feeling

But if you’re JP, you’re not most people…and getting lost in a city is what you love doing.

Seriously, how the heck does he just figure out a city, walk around, and know where he’s going?!? So aggravating!

Last Shabbat (our very first in a city where we basically knew nobody) and he kinda figured out where we were having dinner and got us there (only 1 small missed street). However this Shabbat all he did was write down the street name and know that it’s about an hour walk away…

Address? Nope

Name of the synagogue? Nope

Cross streets? Nope

Yup, that’s JP for you <sigh>

We managed to get out early and walked through some of the loveliest (and probably most expensive) parts of Berlin. Luxury stores, exotic cars, fancy clothes! It’s like a cold version of Rodeo Drive. Eventually we got to a street corner with a sign that said a synagogue was 450m away.

Great!

A sign!

On a bent post!

Gah!!!

Standing in the cold, without a device, 3 whiney children who just walked almost an hour, and no real idea where we were going. We saw a random stranger approach, shifty-eyed, unsure what this loud, un-German family was arguing about in the middle of an intersection.

Mr Shifty Eyes slows down, makes eye contact with JP, JP asks, “Excuse me, where’s the synagogue?” The other guy stops for a second, and says, “Which one?”

HA! Hold the phone. We just found a rando guy who was also going to shul, and miraculously met us at a street corner, right when we needed some help.

Ok, pragmatically, Elyce saw a group of security and police about a block away, and was sure that’s where we should go, but combined with our new found friend Meir (from Azerbaijan), and the cops, we got to shul!

And wow!

The front door is the most non-descript entrance (just a wood door – you wouldn’t even notice the bullet-proof glass). The cops were a bigger tell. Just past the main building, you walk out into a courtyard, and holy beautiful synagogue out of nowhere sensation…

Services are traditional (men in the front section, women in the back). JP got an aliyah, and we were invited to the after-service meal (kiddush) to celebrate the bar mitzvah. The girls made fast friends with some kids, and almost brought one back home with us. During kiddush we went from the corner table being mostly by ourselves, to being a raucous group of folks enjoying ourselves to the end. The famous shohet rabbi (from Israel, overseeing the ritualistic kosher slaughter, leading the sephardic services) joined us, gave blessings galore to everyone (especially us), and we had a marvelous, warm, and engaging experience with Israelis, Germans, Azerbaijanis, children and adults. So amazing and endearing.

Back at the apartment, right after shabbat we packed, then went out to pick up the rental car. We picked the largest vehicle that wasn’t a van, so we got a station wagon that promised room for at least 5 large luggage pieces.

But holy mother of albanian apple juice makers, how’re we gonna fit all of our luggages, mammals, and food, into this vehicle?!?

That’s a Sunday problem.

Deep breath, we’ve got this.

Oh wait, it’s now Sunday morning and we’re playing Tetris in a BMW station wagon. Everyone except JP was going to have no extra space for our 5+ hour drive.

Our first stop is at a gas station / rest area, where using the facilities costs 1€/person, but you get a voucher to spend in the station. Most amazingly, even the “fast food” was served on real plates with real cutlery…we had our own food we ate by the car, but it’s just a whole level of different.

Next stop: Kassel, home of the Brothers Grimm, and some of JP’s former co-workers, including Torben, who was in highschool when JP worked with him (he’s now in university). We learned history, walked the market, caught up on our lives, and saw Santa fly across the city square and shoot off fireworks! Then we had all-you-can-eat sushi (it’s technically 15 rounds, and each person can only order up to 5 items per round, and the clock resets every 10 minutes, and you only get 3 hours). We made it 8 rounds.