Besherit

And atone I did.

Except for breaking all the laws by using money, my cell phone, electricity and the train.....


I went to Brussels again by Kol Nidre. It takes me about an hour to get to the shul all in all. Not bad, it took me an hour to go to work every day at the CNE (Beverley Hill Windows and Door-call for a free estimate)

It was okay. I tried to fill up before the fast at this cute veggie restaurant. Except salad it turns out doesn't fill you up so much...

I had lost my cell phone of course, so I couldn't call the nice lady I had met on Rosh Hashanah, but I hoped I would see her there.

So there I was, off the train waiting for Tram 23, when across the tracks sat this girl.

"She could be Jewish' I thought, in her tweed suit and straight dark brown hair.

"That would be so funny if she were to end up at the same shul that I was."

"Oh, only dreams. There is defintely no Jew waiting in the same tram station that I am. It is only wishful thinking."

I SWEAR I was thinking this.
So I got on the train, and that girl sat beside me. After a few stops I asked her what stop we were at, in English, and though she looked a little surprised, she answered in perfect English.

"How great here", I though, "that everyone speaks such good English".

Then we both got off at Churchhill stop. Then walked for a block in the same direction. Then turned on the same street. Finally she told me she wasn't following me.

I answered hestitantely, not really believing it was possible:

" Are you..going..down there..to the..."
"Synagouge?" she finished.


It was a Yom Kippur Miracle! A Jew had sat beside me on the Tram on the way to the same shul!

She's a journalist from New York in Brussels for a while. Hence the good English.

So we sat beside each other during Kol Nidre, but forgot to exchange numbers.

The nice lady I met at Rosh Hashanah drove me all the way home which was super nice of her.

Today I was supposed to meet her at her house, halfway to Brussels and asscesible by bus. Of course, ( I ALWAYS do something like this, it doesn't even upset me anymore. I have learned always to have a plan B) I had checked the weekday schedule, not the 'Zaterdag' one, so I missed the bus by FOUR minuites. Ridiculous eh.

So I took the train, NOT thinking about food. Esp. when I passed a chocolate shop, a grocery store, and vending machines galore. Normally, I wouldn't think about food. But because I couldn't think about food...of course it was all I thought about.

I have been to Brussels about four times now and have NEVER seen the city. I just go straight to my destination and back. Someday I will tour it.

I went to the shul (aka a room rented out in a country club) and did the service. I took a break at about 3 ish. The sun was shining and it was great. I watched Eurocrats play squash for an hour or so, talking with other' Young Professionals". It really is a great networking place, there was even a really nice guy from the Wall Street Journal. I was a little crabby from not food, so I wasn't the best company.

Then the nice lady took me all the way to Leuven again. Her children are ridiculously well behaved. Like the girl is maybe 3 and she asked her brother "May I please see that telephone."

So I cycled home from the train station (about 10 minutes) and crawled into bed and read a Nora Roberts novel I stole from the American Residence across the complex. Then I kind of passed out for several hours and I awoke 2 min. after the fast ended.

I ran to the kitchen, barley awake, shoving random food into my mouth, then went out.

I was going to go to Mcdonalds, but didn't want to break Kashrut sooo easily. So I chose a falafel place with really crappy fake middle eastern falafel. But I ran into Christian Singapore and all his Singapore friends who were visiting. It was an enlightning conversation to say the least. Here is what I found out about Singapore.

1. Consumption of Gum is not illegal, but selling it is

2. They will hang you (not publicly, I asked) if they catch you with a very small amount of most drugs

3. The whole country has free wireless

4. Their first language is English, even though they have four other official languages

5. They don't have free press

6. It is illegal to walk around naked in your home

7. They have had the same government (which is not like the Taliban, though it may sound like it) since the country began.

8. They smuggle gum in from Malaysia


See how much I am learning about the world??

I also got a great response and I shoveled food into my mouth after a 25 hour fast.

'Is it Yom Kippur? I saw that on
Entourage!"

Thank you HBO for enlighting the whole world!

Then I went out for drinks with the Carleton Crew and Blonde Norweigan, who I believe will play a big role in posts to come.