Filling in The Details of My Upcoming Trip

I'll be flying to the states again. It has been a year plus a drop since my last visit. I still have a father there in Arizona, and we must do my mother's unveiling in New York.

last year's visit

Working out timing and logistics with my sister and all of the holidays and our commitments gets complicated. At least I'm no longer teaching. There was a year when our parents were still in New York, and between both of our vacation schedules we ended up with a barely twelve 12 hour overlap, and that was because she picked me up at the airport, or it would have had been even shorter!

Now our father is in AZ near her, but our mother is buried on Long Island with her old buddies from the Oakland Jewish Center. Way back when in the 1950's and very early 1960's she ran its Sisterhood and Hebrew School PTA. Many of those in OJC also were neighbors in Bell Park Gardens, where my mother was also very active and helped run the day camp and other projects. I like the idea that she's back in the "old neighborhood." When my father is ready, he'll join them there.

So this year due to the timing of the visit, I'm going to be in New York for Purim and two Shabbatot. I'm even going to do some public speaking at the Jericho-Syosset Chabbad, details click. I'm also planning on seeing a friend I haven't seen for close to half a century. We went to dancing school together when we were pre-schoolers and were neighbors not only in BPG but in Great Neck, too. I'll be based with family and another Great Neck friend in New York after the AZ leg of the visit. And of course I'll be rushing back to Israel to vote in the elections and then jump into the pre-Passover madness at work and home.

Chodesh Tov and Shabbat Shalom!