With all modesty, I just need to say that Shuie and I hosted the most rocking kumzitz in the entire city last night. Some of our friends came, Shloimie and Nechemiah brought a bunch of friends from school, and between the crew that showed up, we had two guitarists, a fiddler, a saxophonist and a djembe (hand drum) that was passed around the table. It took a little time to get going (as these things tend to do…remember middle school dances?), but by an hour into it everyone was jumping, dancing, singing, tossing Torah around the table and having a great time.

The women’s side was much less crowded (my friend Ariella, one of Shuie’s friend’s wives, my sister-in-law, her friend and me) but it was nice. I didn’t like that “spectator” feeling as we looked on at the action from the other side of the sukkah, but it inspired me to consider throwing another shindig on Thursday, just for the ladies. We can rock just as hard as they can, if not harder. All we need is an opportunity and a little more room.

I must also concede a small victory to my husband who insisted on making a giant potato kugel and cholent along with my genteel dessert trays. I balked when he first told me about it — “It throws off the whole dessert motif!” — but it became clear when the man food came out and the man folk pounced on it that he had made a very good call. Hostesses, learn from my experience: whenever you’re hosting large groups of men, make sure you have meat, potatoes, booze and large quantities of baked goods on hand. They’ll love you forever. One of them even asked me if I have a sister who makes my apple crisp. I said I could teach her, but he’d have to hop on a plane to the States and maneuver past her boyfriend to get to them.

Our friend Judah gave over a little dvar torah last night that really moved me. He told a story of how he was walking across the main intersection here in Ramat Eshkol and he saw a woman coming toward him on the other side of the street, where traffic was still coming. She was blind and had no idea where she was walking, but she was cool as a cuke. Another woman ran out into the street and held up traffic so the woman could get across safely. After the incident, Judah asked himself, “What am I supposed to learn from this?”. What he came to was this: we’re all walking blindly through the world. We think we know everything that’s happening but there is so much more going on beyond our limited perception.

When we go into the sukkah, we have to open our limited view. We have an opportunity to remember that while we think this dwelling is temporary and the “real” house is permanent, it is actually the opposite. There is nothing in this world that we can take with us — not our houses, our money, our fabulous magenta snakeskin ankle boots that we bought in Italy and are too painful to wear but too gorgeous to throw away. All we have when we go are our relationships with family and friends and the good deeds we do while we’re here. In this society, we think everything is so clear: make money, travel the world, live the “good life”, buy the next new gadget, send the kids to college, retire and play golf. These things have some enjoyment value, but in reality, if we think they are the ultimate goals in life, we’re as blind as the lady crossing the street. We may think we know exactly where we’re going, but really we’re lost.

Thank you to all of you who sent feedback regarding my little problem with the yellers in the forest. Plenty of options to choose from, though I’m still partial to the rotten-pomegranate slingshot.

Today should be relatively quiet compared to our soiree last night. This afternoon we’re heading to Ramat Bet Shemesh to have a BBQ with Chaim and Sima and the kids in their sukkah. Should be nice.

Chag Sameach!