Israel: The Weekend Before
We flew Lufthansa into Lithuania from Israel via Frankfurt. Although we live in New York, my Mother-In-Law Gail has a son, my brother-in-law Scotty, who was in Jerusalem for Shabbos on the 24th. So before going to Lithunia we all agreed we'd spend a few days in Eretz Yisroel, first with Soctty, then on our own touring in and around Jerusalem. I had a number of friends in the area that I wanted to meet, so I was more than happy to deal with all of the extra logistics involved. Lufthansa was the only airline that flew to both Israel & Lithunia, which worked out to our benefit as they were very accomodation with Daniel. Each leg had a connection in Frankfurt, and for Daniel breaking up the trans-continental flight was a good thing.
While in the Eretz, I got to visit Rabbi Zone, a 90+ year old Jerusalemite who once spent a weekend with the Chofetz Chaim around 1930. A great tie-in to our trip, since we were hoping to get a chance to pop into Belarus/Radin if the issue of getting a visa could be sorted out. Rabbi Zone retold Daniel & I the story of the Chofetz Chaim's mussar speach Friday night. It was about the importance of keeping a Cheshbon HaNefesh, a diary of one's spiritual accounting.
Other friends I got to meet during the short time we were in Eretz Yisroel included Rabbi Price, Yitz Freidman and Reb Dovid Hirsch. Rabbi Price and his family were close friends for the year and a half I spent in Yeshivat Neveh Zion in '91 - '93. His numerous children were vastly older frm when I was a student, and it brought tears in my eyes to see them playing with my son with the same carefry & loving spirit with which I attempted to brighten up their lives so many years ago.
Yitz Friedman and were good friends and briefly chavrusas for the short time we spent together in Neveh. After my year and a half tour of duty, I moved on to college. Yitz never left the town Neveh was located in (Telshe Stone), and still lives their with his lovely wife Tehilla and thier four kids. By the way, you guessed it, Tehilla's a native Telshe Stone lady herself.
We made the trip to visit Rabbi Price and the Friedman's in Telshe Stone Sunday night. Daniel was all smiles with both families, playing with everyone non-stop till way past midnight. One of the wonderful things that constantly brings me happiness on this trip is the way my very you son behaves so well while traveling. His eyes are always wide open, taking in all the new sights and sounds wit an eager smile and energy that even I find hard to duplicate. For an eighteen month old boy, he seems to behave with manners more akin to someone twice his age.
Finally, after a marathon 25 hour fast (Tisha B'Av) pocketed with frequent trips to the Kotel for davening, we we off for Lithuania. Although our flight was scheduled for 5:30 in the morning and Daniel never got much sleep as we were packing and traveling all throughout the night, he once again behaved the perfect gentlemen and never once threw a temper tantrum. On the connection from Frankfurt to Vilnius both Daniel, Eileen & Gail all crashed and slept from the time the plane lifted off the tarmac to when the rude bounce upon landing awoke them. Around 4pm Wednesday afternoon, July 28th, we arrived in Vilnius. And so the family adventure began...
While in the Eretz, I got to visit Rabbi Zone, a 90+ year old Jerusalemite who once spent a weekend with the Chofetz Chaim around 1930. A great tie-in to our trip, since we were hoping to get a chance to pop into Belarus/Radin if the issue of getting a visa could be sorted out. Rabbi Zone retold Daniel & I the story of the Chofetz Chaim's mussar speach Friday night. It was about the importance of keeping a Cheshbon HaNefesh, a diary of one's spiritual accounting.
Other friends I got to meet during the short time we were in Eretz Yisroel included Rabbi Price, Yitz Freidman and Reb Dovid Hirsch. Rabbi Price and his family were close friends for the year and a half I spent in Yeshivat Neveh Zion in '91 - '93. His numerous children were vastly older frm when I was a student, and it brought tears in my eyes to see them playing with my son with the same carefry & loving spirit with which I attempted to brighten up their lives so many years ago.
Yitz Friedman and were good friends and briefly chavrusas for the short time we spent together in Neveh. After my year and a half tour of duty, I moved on to college. Yitz never left the town Neveh was located in (Telshe Stone), and still lives their with his lovely wife Tehilla and thier four kids. By the way, you guessed it, Tehilla's a native Telshe Stone lady herself.
We made the trip to visit Rabbi Price and the Friedman's in Telshe Stone Sunday night. Daniel was all smiles with both families, playing with everyone non-stop till way past midnight. One of the wonderful things that constantly brings me happiness on this trip is the way my very you son behaves so well while traveling. His eyes are always wide open, taking in all the new sights and sounds wit an eager smile and energy that even I find hard to duplicate. For an eighteen month old boy, he seems to behave with manners more akin to someone twice his age.
Finally, after a marathon 25 hour fast (Tisha B'Av) pocketed with frequent trips to the Kotel for davening, we we off for Lithuania. Although our flight was scheduled for 5:30 in the morning and Daniel never got much sleep as we were packing and traveling all throughout the night, he once again behaved the perfect gentlemen and never once threw a temper tantrum. On the connection from Frankfurt to Vilnius both Daniel, Eileen & Gail all crashed and slept from the time the plane lifted off the tarmac to when the rude bounce upon landing awoke them. Around 4pm Wednesday afternoon, July 28th, we arrived in Vilnius. And so the family adventure began...
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