Summer Shabbat!

Ah, Shabbat on the Plaza! We had a wonderful time tonight, sitting outside and listening to Rabbi Cahana and the new assistant rabbi, Rabbi Joseph, do the service. The weather was absolutely perfect; I feasted on leftover lemon garlic chicken from a neighborhood association party Rachel and I attended earlier this week, and we ran into two families we know a) from the NU Alumni Association and b) the chavurah.

Rachel found Naomi, the 5-year-old girl we met at the last Shabbat on the Plaza, and they promptly settled down to play on Naomi's parents' blanket. At one point they pretended to take a nap under the blanket Rachel uses for preschool and had brought to the service (I got there late because I couldn't get away from Salem until 5 p.m.). The rest of the time they ran around, climbed trees, hugged each other, etc. When Naomi went home, Rachel found some other kids to play with. She has absolutely no compunction about going up to a kid or kids around her age and just jumping in to their activities. Drew said something very wise tonight: "She may be an only child, but she'll never be alone." I really hope he's right and that her friendliness and openness toward others will never change.

Rabbi Cahana calls Rachel his "Shabbat Shalom" girl because every time she sees him she wraps her arms around his legs and gives him a big hug. He said it's not Shabbat until Rachel says Shabbat Shalom to him. I can't wait until she starts Hebrew school; I'm hoping she'll be his star pupil!

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Cute Rachel sayings tonight:

On hearing that Drew hadn't brought dessert to the service. I tried to say that watermelon would serve as dessert.

"Watermelon isn't dessert!!" Rachel wailed. "It's a snack-type thingy!"

Couldn't really argue with her there.

As Drew and Rachel were getting ready to go home (I'd come in a separate car, straight from work), Rachel said, "Let's have a Shabbat family hug!" Drew picked her up in his arms and we all hugged each other. "Shabbat Shalom!" Rachel chirped. At those moments it really seems as if we ended up with the perfect child.