A Great Pesach Read: "Let my RV Go!"

We have all taken that journey. We know it well. We have looked inside to discover who we are and who we want to be. How will we adjust to our (new) reality?

Recently, I finished reading Let my RV Go by Nicole Nathan, an inspirational tale of Pauline Berkovitz, a Jewish woman who has chosen to live her life as an Orthodox Jew, leaving many of her experiences behind. She struggles to fit in to the community, a society that expects parents and children to act, dress, and speak a certain way. Pauline and her husband Sam have travelled the world, but this Pesach (Passover), they take the trip of a lifetime. Their trip (yes, in an RV) leads Pauline and company on a mysterious journey of self acceptance and discovery. Along the way, she meets and influences others, transforming from student to teacher.

I appreciated many aspects of the book and was pleasantly surprised by how I connected to the protagonist. Here are some points that stood out for me:
1. Pauline and her husband Sam are not in the same spot spiritually, and that is okay. Their marriage is strong even though they differ in how they relate to their religious observance and their children. They complement one another and work together.
2. "Sam is still in a holy space, whereas I am the keeper of the mundane." As a Jewish mom, I can totally relate to that. I have to keep the laws of Kosher in the home, wipe the kids' noses, plan our holiday and Shabbos meals, carpool, and provide spiritual and emotional guidance to my children. All in a day's work! It is an important job even if we don't feel moved by it. We must realize we have the tools to help our children grow in an environment we feel is best for them. We should strive to appreciate the opportunity.
3. The author uses humor to describe life with young children. "I flushed? Am I insane? I wish I could take that flush back more than anything else." Self explanatory. We have all been there, done that. I am that mom.
4. The Berkovitzes do not fit into a box. They are not quite like anyone else they know (aside from the one couple they befriend, Mike and Julia who also found Judaism later in life). They do not squash their personalities and lose their identities as they turn to Orthodox Judaism. Instead, they embrace their past and use their experiences to be more caring, thoughtful, and emotionally intelligent people. "I may not be able to trace my lineage to a scholarly rabbi in Vilna but I have plodded across mountains and jungles to come back to my roots." With this ability, Pauline and Sam are able to connect to, teach, and inspire others.
5. Without giving away too much of the plot line, Pesach is a time to rejoice in our freedom as a Jewish nation, to celebrate life, revel in our personal freedom, and appreciate the ability to serve our Creator. We are individuals and we need to connect to G-d in a way that hits a personal nerve and touches us. Pauline exemplifies this concept. "Us... BT's [ed. note: baal t'shuvahs, or people who have returned to G-d and Jewish practice] should be happy to bring parts of ourselves into the rich tapestry of Judaism; and if this requires adding an extra splash of color to some of the more staid traditions, it can only be enriching." People should not lose their personalities just because they are religious. Our community should strive to be more accepting and open, to understand where people come from and that each person has his or her own personal journey.
Find freedom. Take your journey. Travel and laugh with Pauline.
To purchase/download the book, click here.
I hope you enjoy!

New shoes!

Siri got her first pair of shoes today. Here she is trying them on for the first time:
Watch "Chaya Sarah's first pair of shoes" on YouTube
Enjoy!

Just a Headache

December 27. One month ago. One month of headaches.

I stepped off the train and walked to my car. I quickly saw the front left of the car was hit. Hard.

I am grateful that the perpetrator was a school bus. Grateful because it meant there was a police report of the incident. Ungrateful because the damage was that much greater.

Insurance. Adjuster. Police records. Claim number. Damage. Body shop. Car Rental. Carpool.

All of these words explain what I went through this past month. 

Thankfully today I am closing the file. I have processed the claim, repaired the vehicle, returned the rental undamaged, fared well during the period without my car, requested reimbursements. 

I got my beautifully freshly painted van back.

I had to pay $0.75 for the official copy of the police report which states that the bus driver is completely liable for all damages. "Driver of vehicle 2 misjudged the distance between vehicle 1 and vehicle 2."

I paid $135 for the car rental. This includes tax on the rental and $50 for one extra day because I could not pick up my vehicle within the 3 hour window they gave and instead left it there over the weekend.

I had to call the insurance company back to get them to reimburse the $50.

I had to process a personal claim to get reimbursed from the bus driver's insurance for the tax I paid, which is an out of pocket expense.

Phone calls. Emails. Files. Credit cards. Messages. Money. Time.

By now you understand the headache this was. But it was JUST THAT. Thank G-d no one was in the car at the time of the accident. I am grateful that I was able to handle the details and not have to worry about personal injury or disability. Damages. They are all relative.

I am proud to say that I did not get stressed about this. I had the presence of mind to see it in perspective right from the start. My car is just a tool (a convenient tool), a thing. We are all safe. Let this be the worst form of suffering that G-d metes out.