Dear Marcia and Alvan,
I received your message last night: the Kaunfer-Lapidus Support System: Anne just left; will return tomorrow. I was with Neal Shabbat afternoon. He has a full schedule of hacnasat orhim. Rav Hillel, among others, would be proud.
Hana is waiting for an appointment with a gastroenterologist at a medical center. That she is still having pain, after 2 months, has to be investigated. According to the people I stayed with in Richland, WA, he a surgeon who trained there, and she a nurse. it's the best place to be.
They had her records faxed from Shaarei Zedek Hosp. Impressive.
Train trip from Wash State through Montana, So and No Dakota, Minnesota is beautiful: snow covered mountains, brilliant foliage, deer, coyotes, farms, farmland, and farm animals. Especially wonderful seen from the observation car. Glassed-in, easy chairs. Friendly people. A man played on his reed from a bagpipe, no pipe or bag- then joined by a young lady with a yukekele and a sweet voice and 2 young men with guitars and a harmonica. Lovely!
Chicago-NYC: drab, noisy train(tracks), colorless countryside, boarded-up farms and factory buildings: depression, recession appearance.
Several stretch and/or smoking stops. I stepped down at Rochester, NY, asking how long the train would be there :5-10 minutes. I moved away from the smokers (YUCK!), and after 3 minutes returned to find the train moving away, in front of me!
I went into the train station and told the agent what had happened. I had my wallet and passport with me, but not my canvas bag with my ticket in it. I described it and told her the seat#. She phoned the train; they found it and I would get it in Syracuse.I did.
She let me phone Brooklyn so that my friend, Susan Barron, could make phone calls to tell people that I'd be late, not to worry - gratis.
She asked me if I'm hungry. I said that I need coffee, that I'm very tired and haven't slept much since my husband died - and started to cry.
She came out from behind the booth and gave me her shoulder to cry on. She then took her lunch time to take me for coffee and drive me around Rochester. I'd never been there. A pretty town. Shamai Kanter was there many years.
Large brownstones, including that of Mr Eastman. Her church was built with huge stones, she pointed out.
School system poor, so she moved so that her son could have a better school.
A single, black woman trying to buck the system and do the best for her child. Kol ha-kavod!
She gave me 2 issues of The NY Times so that I'd have something to read, and a yellow (my favorite color) toothbrush that she had just gotten.
And, before she left her shift she told someone to take me to the train; I didn't have my ticket.
5 1/2 hr wait. Should have been 4, but customs at the Canadian border took 1 1/2 hrs.
I asked for her card so that I could write to Amtrak commending her, and write to her at home.
THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS!!!!!!
Now I'm in Joe's z"l office again, struggling with papers and financial statements that I need advice about (I'm getting some), and more of Rachel's z"l photos, drawings, papers have appeared. Trying and exhausting. But, no choice.
I have been having routine physical exams. Dr Sheth agreed that I have re-torn my rotator cuff - maybe both. My surgeon ordered an MRI (Oct 19). I'll see him Oct 22. Then I'll know what I'll be doing about returning to Israel.
Returning depends on Hana's status, also.
(I was with her for 2 weeks - for Rosh HaShanah-Yom Kippur. I was with Joe's z"l Wash State community Sept 30-Oct 5, the beginning of Succot).
I'm staying with Chicky Rauch, across the street from JTS. Very fortunate. She's so sweet and lovely, and it's so convenient.
Natan phones and writes frequently. I speak with Hana frequently.
It's a very sad and difficult time for all of us.
Be well,
B'yedidut ub'ahavah - Betty
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