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A Very Busy Weekend, With Damaged Books
Nov. 17th, 2008 09:23 amAs I mentioned on Friday, a bit of Town Meeting/Library Trustee business threatened to fill up my time. But no matter what might happen in the world, Nomi and I always have Friday night and Saturday off, because, of course, of shabbat.
Nomi and I had a very nice shabbat. On Friday night, we ate dinner at the home of our friends the Cypesses, and we met a most fascinating visitor to Boston for the year, an air force chaplain who has been sent to study at Boston University. You don't meet too many Orthodox Jewish rabbis from the air force.
Shabbat lunch we were invited to the home of the Weinbergers, a family we're been meaning to have lunch with for a very long time. The food was delicious, and the conversation flowed.
Finally, back at Kadimah, I gave a talk on this week's Torah portion, Vayeira. My father died many years ago on the shabbat of this parsha, which includes the story of Abraham arguing with God about Sodom and Gommorah. I based my talk on the question, "Shall not the judge of all the Earth deal justly?" and used it to discuss both my father's love and pursuit of justice and my own belief that God created the world with scientific principles and laws that we can trust in.
When shabbat ended, I discovered two things that had developed over the day to press upon my time.
The first one had to do with town politics, more of the same from Friday.
The second one is best described on the Apex Digest blog, under the post The Battering of Burstein. The basic facts are that two of the boxes of autographed hardcovers of I Remember the Future that Nomi and I packed up very carefully, with the same padding in which they arrived at our home, ended up arriving at the publisher in damaged condition. One of the boxes was apparently completely sealed and intact, but with nothing in it. Needless to say, this has both of us distraught on many levels; Nomi and I went to great effort to take these 30 pound boxes to the Post Office, and I can't understand how one box could end up empty and sealed in transit unless someone stole the contents within.
If you see signed and personalized copies of the book being offered anywhere, I'd appreciate it if you'd alert me immediately. And if you're inclined to purchase a ticket in the Apex raffle for any of the items they're offering, Apex and I would both appreciate it.
Anyway, the rest of Sunday worked out nicely. Nomi and I went to the movies, saw many friends, and caught up on a little television. But for the rest of the week I have Town Meeting, so expect me to be scarce.
Nomi and I had a very nice shabbat. On Friday night, we ate dinner at the home of our friends the Cypesses, and we met a most fascinating visitor to Boston for the year, an air force chaplain who has been sent to study at Boston University. You don't meet too many Orthodox Jewish rabbis from the air force.
Shabbat lunch we were invited to the home of the Weinbergers, a family we're been meaning to have lunch with for a very long time. The food was delicious, and the conversation flowed.
Finally, back at Kadimah, I gave a talk on this week's Torah portion, Vayeira. My father died many years ago on the shabbat of this parsha, which includes the story of Abraham arguing with God about Sodom and Gommorah. I based my talk on the question, "Shall not the judge of all the Earth deal justly?" and used it to discuss both my father's love and pursuit of justice and my own belief that God created the world with scientific principles and laws that we can trust in.
When shabbat ended, I discovered two things that had developed over the day to press upon my time.
The first one had to do with town politics, more of the same from Friday.
The second one is best described on the Apex Digest blog, under the post The Battering of Burstein. The basic facts are that two of the boxes of autographed hardcovers of I Remember the Future that Nomi and I packed up very carefully, with the same padding in which they arrived at our home, ended up arriving at the publisher in damaged condition. One of the boxes was apparently completely sealed and intact, but with nothing in it. Needless to say, this has both of us distraught on many levels; Nomi and I went to great effort to take these 30 pound boxes to the Post Office, and I can't understand how one box could end up empty and sealed in transit unless someone stole the contents within.
If you see signed and personalized copies of the book being offered anywhere, I'd appreciate it if you'd alert me immediately. And if you're inclined to purchase a ticket in the Apex raffle for any of the items they're offering, Apex and I would both appreciate it.
Anyway, the rest of Sunday worked out nicely. Nomi and I went to the movies, saw many friends, and caught up on a little television. But for the rest of the week I have Town Meeting, so expect me to be scarce.
