Was it was

First things first...a big huge gigantic super-sized mazel tov to mordechai! Engaged the dear boy is. And my feminine mazel tov? Quite apropos I think. Be that as it may, it was a nice lchaim, and it was nice meeting Tuvia, finding out his significant other was (Just call me) Chaviva, who was also there, but I didn't meet her, because I am of course super frum.

And of course you're all wondering where I've been the last couple of days. Turns out I was in West Hartford, CT, doing what I do best, bringing many Jews closer to their father in heaven and having a great time at it too. It all started on Monday evening with "Purim in Persia-Arabian Nights" at the Konover Center at the University of Hartford, which featured lots of students doing various things. Man, how vague can I get? But seriously, it was nice, if only because lots of students showed up, partook of the free food, danced with us bochurim people to Lipa Schmeltzer's latest hits, and generally had a fabulous time. I feel like I should be advertising a cruise line or something.

Tuesday morning we went to read Megilla by an adult-daycare type-place and then headed over to the Gengras Student Union to distribute Shalach Manos. Most of the students were happy to take one, and most of them were also confused by my demanding it back immediately. Then I gave it back to them. Then they slowly backed off and wondered if I was sane. If only they knew...Yes folks, this is your religion!

So one of the students hurrying by responded to my "Excuse me kind sir, are you by any chance Jewish?" with, "No thanks, I'm straight."

Another time I threw a shalach manos at a Jewish guy, then three more for his roommates, and then some kid in the front of the union asked me throw him also. I obliged, and immediately regretted my acquiescence when a girl in the back of the room wanted the same (thrown shalach manos, that is). I said something about her coming over and getting it herself, and felt bad doing it, but I also realized that it would be sheer lunacy to throw packages at people, because who knows where it might end? What if Walt, the university president, would come in and personally respond to my throwing of shalach manos at his students by throwing me off campus?

Then I got into a little spat with some girls who didn't seem to get that I was there for the Jewish population. Oh yeah, it was Jewish girls making me problems. Of course. You know, if I was blogging for chabad.org they'd probably excise the previous couple sentences, but hey, that's what life is all about. It is? Yes, it is.

Oh right. I asked these two girls if they were Jewish, and they said that they weren't. I was about to wish them a pleasant afternoon when a Jewish girl twenty feet away said, "Who cares if they're Jewish or not?" I responded that in fact I did; I was spending my Purim at the University of Hartford for the local Jewish population, but she wasn't too impressed. "Who cares if they're Jewish or not? Can't you give to everyone?" I explained that my goal was not to give free food to the hordes (though such a course of action would undoubtedly have been popular) but instead to help as many Jews as possible fulfill the Mitzva of Mishloach Manos. Still my adversary refused to graciously concede defeat, saying, "But you're discriminating!" If I wasn't G-d's personal representative on planet earth I would have told her, "That's right!", but my words are not my own, and instead I brought her a mashal (recall this was all taking place across a great divide, physically, mentally, emotionally, religiously, etc): "Would it be acceptable for a man to use a woman's rest room or vice-versa? Absolutely not! And would this be termed discrimination? Absolutely not!" She muttered "Humph" and lessened my joy of victory by telling someone else, "You know, these guys are going to give Chabad a bad name."

That reminds me. I was by a shliach for shabbos and his brother regaled me with tales of Rabbi Heller's reasonings (just wait till I get to kollel) including the delicate matter of telling people the truth on shlichus. You know what I mean? Good. I'm worried that I wouldn't be able to keep my mouth shut, and that I wouldn't be able to lie through my teeth for a couple of dollars. Still, money can work wonders...

And anything else in CT? Of course. A grand Purim International at Agudas Achim Synagogue, cosponsored by by Agudas, Beth David, Young Israel, and of course Chabad. It was really nice to see four shuls get together and make a Purim party together. Quite inspiring, no? Even more inspiring was my participation in a magic show onstage (after enough liquid courage of course) prompted by the request for a "man with a ring". Do I have a ring? Of course not. Did I get one from someone or other? As they would say in Minnesota, "You betcha!" Did I make a fool of myself? Probably. Was I beyond caring at that point? Yup. Besides, who was I trying to impress? No one.

And now you find me in CH, for Mordechai's lchaim, Avremel Rimler's wedding (mazel tov to you too!) and laundry. Laundry is very important. And I'll be spending Shabbos in Morristown for the first time in a long time. Should be interesting.