She felt like a young girl again! She pulled her sleeves
down more smoothly, adjusting her tichel until it was
tied just right; for a 53- year-old woman she looked just
fine. Devora would soon be arriving from America to stay
here in Israel for one whole week! She finished preparing
lunch quickly, a lightness in her step that she had
forgotten ever existed.
Chava rummaged through her ziplock bag of photos. She sorted
through various pictures of family and friends in America,
and then, here, the most recent picture she had of Devora.
In the picture, Devora was well groomed with perfectly
applied make up, but through the professional look, she
still had the same laughter-crinkled edges by her cat green
eyes, as always. It had been twelve years since they last
saw each other. Letters were regular but this coming week
would be so exhilirating! Chava grinned. Work, house,
children, grandchildren. Boruch Hashem for it all.
But none of it had the childlike fun of being with her
childhood friend.
Various options for tomorrow raced through Chava's thoughts
as she put fresh bedding in the guest room. There was the
women's beach or that beautiful new park up north. Chava
grinned to herself again. It really didn't matter where they
would go or what they would do. It really didn't matter at
all.
The next day the two friends found themselves sitting at an
outdoor cafe. The small wooden table that separated them was
covered with a pale blue tablecloth, napkins and mugs. They
had spoken until 3 a.m. the night before. Now that they were
all caught up on the lives and happenings of family and
friends, they sat, quietly sipping their espresso and
watching the multitude of people passing by.
Chava stifled a happily tired yawn. "Devora, do you remember
how shy you were around other people?"
The blush Devora was wearing became a shade darker. "I got
over that years ago!" She shook her head and smiled. "Who
would have ever thought that I would work in such a big
Kiruv organization in New York! I myself can't believe that
I work so well with the public."
Chava leaned all the way back in her chair. "I don't know
how you do so much Kiruv. I did adopt a Russian family for a
few months last year. Now they live in Tel Aviv but we phone
occasionally. They're really special people." She wondered
how Devora was able to walk up to total strangers and talk
to them about the deepest topics. She couldn't imagine
herself doing that kind of work.
Chava looked around contently. Then she sat up straight,
cupping her coffee with both hands. "Do you remember the
game we made up to help you feel less intimidated by others?
To concentrate on others rather than yourself? We called it
`Life's Details.' "
Devora lit up. "Of course."
They both began seriously looking at the passing people, not
staring, not wanting anyone to feel uncomfortable, but
looking, nonetheless.
Devora drew her head closer to Chava's. "That woman in the
black dress and green hat looking in the store window."
Chava nodded slightly.
Devora continued, whispering, "I bet she and her husband are
from America. They came, oh, 18 years ago and have eleven
children."
Chava smiled. "But she's so slim. I think she's newly
married and from Argentina."
They both tittered, turning to face the view of the
mountains.
Soon they were once again turned in the direction of the
walkway, observing the people-filled street.
Chava touched Devora's sleeve lightly and whispered, "That
man withdrawing money from the bank booth."
One of Devora's eyebrows rose in acknowledgement.
"Well," Chava continued, "he's probably a diamond dealer. A
millionaire, even! He has a thousand acre ranch in North
Carolina, a villa in Rome and a penthouse in Har Nof!"
Devora chuckled. "I bet he's an accountant with eight
children and he's trying to find a second job to support
them all."
They smiled into their cups, somewhat embarrassed yet
completely caught up in the game.
As the waitress passed, she smiled quizzically towards
them.
"Over there," Devora nodded, after the waitress had left,
"by the bakery. The woman on the right is married five
years, has three children, worked as a nurse until the
youngest was born. The woman next to her is taking a
secretarial course. She's been married for two years and
doesn't have children yet. Her in-laws are paying for the
course to keep her occupied and hopefully help her to relax.
The woman on the left goes swimming every Tuesday and
Thursday. She dreams of being a female lifeguard for the
religious women but is too embarrassed to tell anyone."
Chava let out a low whistle. "You sure know how to make up
life details! You talk as if you really know!"
Devora chuckled like an old pro. As she sat down again, she
noticed a heavy man trudging up the street, a child on
either side of him holding onto each of his hands. "I wonder
why that man has children with him during school hours."
Devora closed her eyes. "Maybe he's their uncle from
Argentina who only comes for three days out of the year. His
sister, the mother of these children, allows him to take
them out one morning so he can enjoy their company without
too many distractions." He stopped and bought the children
ice cream.
"That seems like a pretty good guess," Chava said.
An elderly, kerchiefed woman was coming down the street
carrying a bag of groceries. Devora spied her first. "This
woman," Devora said, her hands calmly encircling her now
empty coffee cup, "has recently undergone open heart surgery
and she's so happy for every breath of air. She feels like
dancing!"
Chava replied, "I say she doesn't look too happy."
Devora thought and then answered, "Her children are living
in Russia, still. She misses them terribly. A son and a
daughter. Each has a son of their own. As she walks down the
street and sees so many people and children, she longs for
her own children and grandchildren. Especially after the
operation..."
Devora looked towards the woman. She felt so sad for her.
The woman came closer and closer...
Devora shrugged and said quietly to Chava, "Shall we?" Chava
fidgeted in her chair.
Devora waved towards the empty seat next to her. "Would you
like to sit down?" The woman sat, putting her bag on the
ground next to her.
Devora continued, "It must be so hard for you, after
everything you've gone through."
Chava covered her gaping mouth with her hand, pretending to
cough. How could Devora have said that? As if she really did
know this woman. Devora got into this game too
thoroughly. What will this woman think?
The woman's eyes reddened. "How could you tell?" she
whispered in a heavy Russian accent.
"Your children?" Devora asked with compassion.
"Yes." The woman searched for and found a tissue. She blew
her nose vigorously.
"And grandchildren..."
The woman looked at Devora and then blew her nose again
loudly.
"Tell us about it. Tell us about yourself." Devora spoke
soothingly as she reached out and grasped the elderly
woman's hand. Devora's eyes were large with emotion.
The woman's eyes had also grown large and then quite
suddenly, they filled with large tears. Chava waved for the
waitress to come, and ordered a coffee for their new
acquaintance.
When the cup was set before her, she wiped her nose one more
time, then began to talk. "My name is Bella. I'm living here
in Israel for four years already." She let out a long sigh.
"It hasn't been easy. All the time I think about my only
daughter. When I came here from America to tour Israel,
neither of us expected me to stay. To make aliya. I
love Israel so much! I just can't leave it. I've learned
about Shabbos here from my neighbors. I've traveled all over
this holy land. If only Galina would come and join me, but
she's so angry that I've done teshuva. She'll hardly
talk to me on the phone. I wish I could show her the beauty
here. The deep feeling of warmth everywhere I go, from every
Jew I meet."
"There's no way at all for you to go visit her there?"
Devora asked.
"Until she begins to accept me, I don't see the point."
Bella lowered her voice. "Also, I just got test results
back. It looks like I'm going to have to have open heart
surgery soon."
Devora looked quickly at Chavy, then back to Bella.
Chavy thought, "One detail Devora got partially right.
That's something! And even if Devora didn't guess totally
accurately, it doesn't mean that Bella isn't going through a
lot just the same." A powerful feeling of compassion and
love encompassed that tiny table in the middle of the
walkway. Chava reached over spontaneously and took Bella's
other hand. "What can we do to help you? Would you be
willing to come to my house for a Shabbos? I'm sure my
children would love to meet you!"
Bella wiped her eyes. "That would mean very much to me!" She
looked at her watch. "I have to go now. I have another
doctor's appointment." She leaned over the table and wrote
on a napkin. "Here's my phone number. Call me and let me
know when and where to come for Shabbos."
Bella stood and looked at the two friends. She shook her
head from side to side. "How did you know how lonely I was
feeling? How?"
Devora stood, clutched Bella's hand once more and said,
"Everything is from Hashem. I'm really looking forward to
seeing you on Shabbos! Thank you!"
"Thank you!" Bella said, clutching her bag of
groceries, turning, and continuing down the street.
Devora's eyes shone. "You never know. When I get back to New
York, maybe I'll be able to contact Bella's daughter. Maybe
the mitzva of family sholom bayis, peace
between mother and daughter, has come my way, just like the
mitzva of hachnossas orchim has come yours.
What do you say, Chava, about going to buy some fresh
vegetables and making a good old fashioned chicken soup for
her? The display of caring will probably help her heart more
than the actual soup. Would you mind?"
Chava was already saying the after blessing for her coffee.
She motioned to the waitress to come with the bill. "That's
fine with me! Let's go!"
As they stood up, they looked at each other and said
simultaneously, "Now that's a game worth playing!"
As they laughed, the waitress looked at them with a puzzled
expression but Chava knew one thing for sure: Devora was
certainly no longer a shy teenager! They walked towards the
vegetable store, arms interlocked, discussing the menu for
the upcoming Shabbos.
