Easier for the CK?

(Note: this was written on Monday but posted on Tuesday.) Happy Labor Day to those of you in the States. Hope you are enjoying good weather, a barbecue or two, and the last days of Summer. Alas, today was not so idyllic for us in Jerusalem. Thank G-d, everyone is OK, but it was tough day nonetheless. I'm sure (well, pretty sure) everything will turn out alright; it's just a matter of taking the days one at a time - le'at, le'at.

The day started with my taking the boys to school. The WK was totally okay and asked if he could run ahead to school without me. I had wanted to talk to the WK's teacher about getting some books for him, so that he can participate in class, but said he could go ahead. I walked the CK to his class. Although he wasn't particularly upset as we entered the class, I know he was nervous about my leaving. After a last hug, I left him in his room so that I could find the WK's teacher in the other building.

When I returned to the building where the CK's classroom is, I literally ran into the CK as he was leaving class to get some tissues and calm down. (It had been my goal not to see him, as I think it can make it harder when parents stay around. Oh well.) The CK was crying and looked pretty miserable. I hugged him for a moment and tried to comfort him. I told him that I knew this was hard, that he would make it through, and that he just needed to give it some time. (Somehow, it's always easier to offer that advice, than to take it...) Hadaas then came out into the hallway. Hadaas told me she had suggested to the CK that he take a moment and that she had also told the CK she knew he could "l'heetgahber" (to overcome). Hadaas told me all of this in Hebrew, but it's still unclear to me whether she spoke to the CK in English or not. At first, I was startled by what Hadaas said - I thought that "l'heetgaber" could also technically mean "to be a man" and I felt badly for the poor CK. I figured though that Hadaas wouldn't say that to the CK, and am glad I gave her the benefit of the doubt. I checked my Hebrew-English app a few minutes ago and sure enough it means "to overcome."

BTW, I never ended up finding the WK's teacher but I did talk with the school principal. She sent me to the school secretary (named Bracha) who was going to have someone else (named Yaffa) call me to discuss books. Seems a bit more complicated than it needs to be, but if I don't hear from Yaffa, I will follow up. I also spoke to the principal about my volunteering in the school. I am definitely more than ready to begin doing something!

So, after I gently pushed the CK back into his class, I took the long way to the "matnas" (community center) for my "ulpan" (Hebrew class), in an effort to feel better about the CK before class began. I arrived just at 9 and saw the woman who had told me about the class - sitting on a bench outside the matnas. The class had been canceled. Apparently, the teacher for the class had called last night to say that she had accepted a better job and couldn't teach our ulpan. The matnas is hoping to find a new teacher to start a class after Rosh Hashanah or maybe after the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which is a couple of weeks later. Of course, because the matnas didn't accept pre-registration for the ulpan, if they find a teacher, they won't be able to contact potential students anyway. Argh! The woman who had told me about the ulpan said she would keep me informed if another is scheduled.

I left the matnas and walked to the window/door store in the industrial section in Talpiyot (where I had bought the potential window latch replacement option from the woman whose father was supposed to come to the dira to install the latch but didn't show). The woman apologized repeatedly in Hebrew and told me that her father had lost my number and address. I told her that I had called several times and couldn't get through to anyone. She took down my info and promised me she would talk to her father and call me to reschedule. I'm still optimistic that the window will be able to close and lock before the cooler weather arrives.

From there I went to the "Mega" grocery store at the Canyon Chadar (Chadar Mall). I had a fairly short list of groceries that I needed. As I wandered around Mega, I realized that I didn't really "need" anything on the list. I just wanted to feel like I was doing something. As I continued to put foods the boys liked into the cart, I also realized that I was hoping that if I bought something they really liked to eat, that it would make things a bit easier for them, especially for the CK. I guess it's kind of the shopping equivalent of comfort food.

While in the aisle looking for "nee'ar ahloominum" (literally, "aluminum paper" also known as tin foil), I overheard a woman speaking in English into her cell phone. All I heard was "And, the classes are small?" and somehow I knew she was talking about an ulpan class. When she hung up, I apologized for eavesdropping and asked her if she were talking about a Hebrew class, and she was. She asked whether I had been at the matnas earlier today, as she thought she recognized me. At any rate, she (Jennifer, from Tea Neck, NJ who comes to Israel every 6 years with her family for her husband's sabbatical) had done some research into a different ulpan being held at the AACI (Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel) building. Jennifer  gave me the website for the ulpan, and we exchanged contact information. I'll look at the website tomorrow. I very much want to find a Hebrew class to take.

Shortly thereafter, when I was in the frozen food aisle, my cell phone rang - Judith, the English teacher at the boys' school was calling. I was sure she was going to tell me to come pick up the CK early. Instead, Judith had just been with the CK, and he was doing fairly well. Judith had worked with him for a while on a book in English, and the CK was enjoying it. The plan for now is that Judith will work with the CK a little bit each morning (kind of like a homeroom teacher), and then for 3 hours a day a couple times a week. In addition to teaching English, Judith will also spend time helping the CK to learn Hebrew. She was calling to request that we buy a "learning Hebrew" book to use in their lessons. I am hopeful things will get easier for the CK.

Shortly after I hung up with Judith, Pentheus called me. The "ohzer" (house cleaner) who came a couple of weeks ago and is supposed to come every other week, had not shown up yet, and was 40 minutes late. Pentheus called the ohzer, who said he couldn't come. It was unclear (the ohzer is from Sri Lanka and speaks no Hebrew and very little English) to Pentheus whether he couldn't come today or ever again. The ohzer said he would call back later and didn't.

As you may remember, several weeks ago, we attended M'vahkshei Derech (one of the Reform congregations in the area), and met a few people there, including a woman with whom we spent a while talking. We had only been in Israel a week and a half at that point, and were talking about how difficult it was to acclimate. We had told her we were looking for a house cleaner. I guess we made an impression on her because we received the following email from her:

"I hope things are getting better every day. As I said to you on Saturday, in shul, I do have an excellent cleaning man and as my contribution to your brave and wise attempt to live in the Jewish Land, I am happy to share him with you. Please call me to get further practical details."

Tonight I called her to "get further practical details" and her ohzer is coming to clean our house tomorrow morning. I hope he shows up. Her email totally cracks me up - her "contribution to our brave and wise attempt to live in the Jewish Land..." as if she wouldn't give us the name of her ohzer otherwise? I've written in this blog several times before about how much Israelis want us to stay in Israel! We still hear comments and pleas every day. Seriously - the cab driver on the way back from Mega kept saying in Hebrew, "Yohtair tov b'aretz, nachon?" (It's better to be in Israel, right?).

One interesting side story from today: When I picked up the boys from school, the CK was in a pretty good mood. He was very excited to tell me what happened. Apparently yesterday, when the CK wouldn't stay at school, there had been a fire drill that he missed. Today, however, there was a "terrorist drill" - the CK showed me "where the iron walled door" is and how they are supposed to sit. He said he knew it was only a drill because there weren't any helicopters in the sky or police cars. I know it's a part of daily life for Israeli, but, boy, was it weird to hear the boys talk so animatedly about it.

I hope Tuesday goes smoothly.