The Only Jew

Naturally, being a Jew, I wanted to attend shul at least three times a year. So I went on the university website. I would like to add that Ku Leuven is the oldest Catholic University in the world (built in 1425!!) So I didn't exactly expect there to be a Jewish population. But hey, it was Belgium, the Jews own the Diamonds in Antwerp here, where it is apparantly the last Shtietl in Europe.

On the website there was details about a Univeristy Parish, and English speaking Parish, A Catholic Mass in Spanish, An Anglican congregation, and Evangelical congretation, an International Evangical congergation, two Mosques and then...

"In Leuven, Brussels and Antwerp there are Orthodox and Jewish communities."

but...Orthodox is not even Jewish Orthodox...it is Christian Orthodox! So basically, if I want to 'do Jew' I better hope on a train.

My first day here was misleading. On the bus to the centre of town I swore I saw a window with SHALOM in it. So I got off the bus to check it out and it turns out that it was a Euro version of Jews for Jesus, that is possibly legitamte. It is Pentacostal or something. There were also Stars of Davids on a building, along with crosses, but that is also the fake Jews for Jesus.



So I was faced with a Dilema...

Rosh Hashanna was coming up and I had about one day to plan for it. I found a list of shuls on the net and called them. There were a bunch of orthodox shuls, but only one english one and it was Liberal, in Brussels.. Whatever, liberal..who know what that means..but I would deal. Beggars can't be choosers. So I called them up and I bargained a price of 40 Euros for both high holidays. What, they couldn't give a starving foriegn student free access to worship? umm...apparantly not. My new Asian, Christian friend, Kai, was shocked, as 'Churches are supposed to be a place of charity". Well, Synagogues are not.

I also told the lady that I didnt exactly like handling money on Rosh Hashana..she said she felt bad. Well..yea..I'm sure g-d feels bad too.

So After a bus, a train, a subway and walking, I finally arrived at the Royal Club Leopold and entered a room where about 30 ppl sat. I'd like to add that 6000 ppl are at my synagoge at home. So I did the service, or at least the end half since all the transportation took time. And then went to 'lunch', aka honey cake, gefilte fish and stale ruggelah. But they did have coke in glass bottles ( a novelty) and one semi-good looking boy around my age.

After standing by a poll for 25 min, ppl started talking to me and I met some other Jewish students and some very nice adults. I went to Tishlich with an Israeli and then some very nice Belgiuan adults said their house was halfway to Leuven and the bus stop was outside their house, so I went in their BMW. They had the most well-behaved kids I have ever seen in my entire life. They 5 year old offered me ice cubes for my drink...

I went to their home, which was basically a geourgeous house in the middle of nowhere. Although the wife was American, the husband was so Belgian. He was very nicely and cleanly dressed. They gave me the number of a Jewish, female, philosophy prof. in Leuven (maybe she will teach me?) and I took a bowl from them (hey, I'm a student) but declined fruit from their orchard...though I should have accepted.

They had horses in their backyard....amusing.

Then I took the bus back to Leuven, walked around town, had to go to the bathroom so went home. I couldn't use a public bathroom becuause they actually cost money.

Then I passed out at 8:oopm and woke up at 9:00 the next morning. Jet lag??