Vignette:

I’m becoming a New Yorker… The recent realization follows needing to move my car due to “Street Cleaning”. The “whole world” double-parks from here until forever, waiting for this “seige” to be over. Should I go on a day trip out of town? Well, I could. But if parking is challenging at 1:00pm, at 10:00pm it will be impossible, so I don’t.
I join the double-parkers some blocks away, so I can find a spot, and then, “freely” take public transportation to whereever I need to go… But my my eyes remain tight like a sniper, and when I’m later back, I spot him: a van, idling, on two spots!! “hi there”, I say, stumbling over a sidewalk crack, almost falling into his car not very graciously and fully aware of how ridiculous this is, “can I please have one of these spots, please?”
“No”, he says, “I waiting for a repair van to fix some problem in my building”
“Repair? oh that’s great” Poor guy, little does he know I’m not letting go that easily, “And how long are they “reparing” for”?
“If all goes well, about an hour. Why? what?”
“Please”, I say, combining my Israeli and NY insistance with a CA smile, “Here’s my number; call me when this spot opens”…
And then, a miracle: He calls. I bring my car. He waves and drives away. My Blue Stalion and I cheer. Ah, America!

NorCal:
No better time to pray for rain. Please.

Shmini Atzeret & Simchat Torah:
One more holiday in this stretch of fall holidays. In Israel, the 8th day of Sukkot is the same day as Simchat Torah, some say because in Israel the material and spiritual – combine, while outside of Israel, we live in a more separate world.
Here, we will pray for rain geshem – tomorrow, which is symbolic of all “gashmiyut“, materialism, while the next day, we’ll celebrate with the Torah, sadly increasing the disconnect between spiritual and physical.
As customary, for some strange reason, there will be drinking and dancing and more drinking and even too much drinking (which can’t be said about dancing :-). This is a good time to remember that it’s not our simcha (joy / celebration), but the Torah’s! What makes her happy?

Chag / Hug Same’ach& Shabbat Shalom!