Cold, Dark and Ecstatic

It's cold, dark and rainy outside but inside YESOD, Matt and I are warmed by the idea that we have a brand new office. (It's also nice that we're listening to Tahitian music that is a throwback to our honeymoon just about a year ago.) In the back corner of the 3rd floor is a tiny room that is all ours. We couldn't be happier. Two desks, two computers, a printer and most amazingly of all -- our Vonage phone! So now if you want to call us, it's as easy as calling us when we lived in DC. The number is the same. Try it out and let us know what you think. Just remember that afternoons our time (mornings in the US) are the best times to reach us.

The last few days have been a blur and our lack of sleep is starting to catch up with us. We've had late night meetings almost every day this week. And on Wednesday night we went out to dinner at a vegetarian Indian restaurant with some friends. The food was amazing -- each dish better than the last -- but the service was ungodly slow. We sat down at 9 and didn't get the check until after 11:30! We barely made it home before the metro shut down at midnight.

Yesterday afternoon we attended a party at the Nevsky Institute where we take Russian classes. It was a party for foreign students who are studying in Russia. The "party" involved a number of artistic performances (in the true SPB spirit) and little to no mingling. So much for the theme, "Let's Be Friends!" Needeless to say, the whole thing cracked us up.

For the last two days, we've helped host a mission of delegates from Cleveland and Palm Beach -- both partner cities to St. Petersburg. It's so nice to be surrounded by people who understand the ins and outs of this community. The small group of six represents the professional and lay leaders from each Federation and they just "get it." They are the principal supporters of Jewish life here and it's amazing to be able to show them first-hand the fruits of their labor. They are among the reasons that Jewish life in St. Petersburg is as vibrant as it is. To sit in a room with local leaders and American Jewish leadership is an awe-inspiring experience. While this community certainly has its share of growing pains, as I like to call them, they are so fortunate to have the support and involvement of two such powerhouses of the American Jewish community.

Tonight, we're welcoming Shabbat at Hillel, just down the hall from our new office. Tomorrow, we'll join the mission for services and Shabbat lunch. And in a few days, we'll head out of the city with Adain Lo for their children's camp. The blog will lilkely be quiet next week -- forgive us while we're out of Internet range.