We are writing this post from the Everglades National Park, where we arrived this afternoon (Feb. 5) following a wonderful Shabbat with the Chabad of Delray Beach, Florida. (We will write more about the Everglades after we have experienced many of its wonders later in the week.) Originally it was not our intention to post pictures and descriptions of this trip until after we returned home to Israel, but we had many requests to post as we go so that people could follow the adventure, and admittedly, we also have a desire to write about our experiences while they are fresh in our memories.
We are very lucky to have a close and dear friend who arranged for us to stay in the parking lot of her housing complex in Delray Beach. She is also very active with the local Chabad which is only a short walk from where we were parked.
This Shabbat was a special experience. The Chabad community in Delray Beach, though small, is warm and inviting, and welcomes everyone – at all levels of Yiddishkeit – who are treated with the kavod and dignity that they may not receive elsewhere.
Our acquaintance with the shul rabbi, Sholom Korf, goes back years, and we have personally witnessed his many acts of chesed. Through his acts of generosity and compassion, he is a rav who leads by example: “acts of kindness are essential to Torah life.”
On Friday night the shul hosted a delicious dinner for about 50 people, the next day the congregation was treated to an outstanding kiddush, and on Sunday, there was a lox and bagel breakfast following davening. Mix that with zemirot, a series of devrai Torah which were inspirational, interesting, and timely, and the wonderful people we met, and we have a Shabbat we will long remember.
And what a small Jewish world we found once more. We met someone whose daughter lives on the same street we lived on in Chicago (she moved in shortly before we left), and a couple whose son is now studying in the yeshiva where Sima’s brother is the rosh yeshiva.
Sunday morning we drove out to the cemetery where my parents and sister are buried.
Sunday night we watched the Super Bowl at a reasonable time.
And for those who may be interested: During our 3-day stay in Delray, we exceeded our past record in living in our self-contained RV, without outside resources.