I had mentally crafted all the wonderful ways I was going to
start this blog post to describe my past week in Riga, but then something
happened that trumped it all: I accidentally got locked in my apartment. So
that’s where I am right now. Stuck in my apartment, waiting for wonderfully
helpful men from the community to return with tools to get me out of here. It
all started when I tried to use some work out contraption that you have to
close in a doorframe. This contraption has already fallen out once, leaving me
with a nicely bruised butt. I responded by finding a new door frame, and,
apparently, a new problem. The doorframe was too good and the contraption is
stuck. Welcome to my 3rd week in Riga.
Despite
this minor setback, things are going nicely. Last week I sat in on a lot more
meetings with a lot more things I couldn’t understand. Thank goodness I finally
started my Russian lessons, with the most wonderful Russian teacher you could
imagine. The language is incredibly hard, but my horrible accent provides
non-stop entertainment for the community. Glad I can help. Of course, now when
I go to use my new vocabulary in places other than the community, I remember
that I am in fact in Latvia, a country that has its own language. Ah, so many
things to learn!
Apparently
this year is going to be a learning experience for everyone because my biggest
project is starting a youth movement. This development presents a change for
everyone. The madrichim (older teenagers who have graduated madrichim school/a
special program in the community) used to plan events for all age groups, but
now the teens will take over their own events. They kicked off the movement and
year with a wonderful Simchat Torah party, complete with games, dancing,
karaoke, and grilled cheese. The
teens taught me new dances and I taught the teens to put chips ON their grilled
cheese instead of next to it. There were about 30 teens total, and it seemed
like a rather successful start to the year. Most importantly, the teens learn
how hard it is to plan a successful program, which will surely help them in the
planning to come.
The
day after their first party, the teens started right up again with another
planning meeting. This time I was fortunate to host them at my apartment. Since
I live right next to the community center and have a nicely sized place, I hope
to host a lot more events. For this first one, I couldn’t contribute much in
the way of ideas due to my lack of Russian, so instead I contributed their
first experience with rice krispie treats and edible cookie dough balls.
Everyone looked epically confused when I told them the things in front of them
were edible, but since all the food was gone by the time they left, I assume
these foreign foods went over well. I cannot keep measuring in grams though, so
if anyone wants to send over some actual measuring cups, I will love you
forever.
I
also spent some time getting to know the other age groups. I joined the primary
school kids as they created a train around the community center, stopping along
the way to participate in entertaining games their wonderful madrichim planned.
The idea was that the train tracks created a circle, and they completed a full
cycle, just like we just finished a cycle of the Torah.
The preschoolers also
learned about Simchat Torah, but, I’m sorry to say, that even though the
madrichim worked hard on the preparations, only 2 kids showed. Finally, I met the
university students, which was a completely new kind of program planning.
Instead of arts and crafts, I described the realities of a college party, which
they should be using in the next few weeks for their opening party.
As
last week was Simchat Torah, I had my first synagogue experience. Let me tell
you, I’ve never seen anything like it. It was exactly like the opening market
scene in Fiddler on the roof: the space is filled with an unbelievable hustle
and bustle because it’s unclear whether the men are arguing or conversing, and,
all the while, some people are singing and dancing. And this is just the men’s
section. Some men danced and sang with the Torah while others broke out their
spread of food and began to eat. And I thought the women’s section in my
synagogue talked a lot. While the men do whatever it was they were doing, the
women watch from the balcony. Then, everyone congregates downstairs to eat a
nearly endless amount of meat and smoked fish and drink absurd amounts of
alcohol. In addition to the food and alcohol provided by the Chabad Rabbi’s
family, there are pockets of people with their own meals and conversations. To
be honest, I haven’t a clue what happened, but apparently we finished the
Torah!?
The
other noteworthy events were my first few introductions to some wonderful
Latvians. Everyone I met seemed to be an artist. Granted, one of the events I
attended was a gallery opening, but still. Everyone was welcoming and nice and
enjoyed dancing to old school American music as much as I did. Plus there was
free cheese and cake.
Oh,
and during one of my runs I not only saw a rainbow but I also saw a repurposed
double-decker bus. All my favorite cities have a repurposed double-decker bus
so I may have found a new favorite city.
