New Square 2009

Finally, after a four year hiatus, our shul went for a shabbaton to New Square.  While it was fun, it wasn't quite as enjoyable as the previous times.

We got lucky with the eating arrangements.  Both last time and this time, we ended up eating by an OTD family. They had meat.  Most people in New Square eat only chicken and only with a New Square hashgocha.  There are, however, a few "rebels" who have meat.  Some, even have whisky.  We also got lucky, unlike some of the other people on the shabbaton, to have a host who both, speaks English and who doesn't have men and women sitting at separate tables.

We slept and ate by separate families but both houses were near each other and also within two minutes from shul.  Finished dinner at my usual 1AM, went to the tisch, though didn't stay till the end and left at 2AM.  Shacharis was at a very shabbas nap friendly time of 11AM.  Food was great, though the meat jello, however you call it, I wouldn't touch even if the Rebbe himself gave it to me.

The not enjoyable part was centered around the half-assed organizational skills of the shul.  When we came to the family we were sleeping by, we found out that nobody bothered to warn them that we have a 4 month old infant who needs a crib and not a child bed.  One of my friends, by their hosts, got a mattress to put on the floor for his two and a half year old daughter.

The most fun, however, was had when we came to the Rebbe for a brocha.  There were other people who were let in first because we were a big group so by the time we got into the room it was 2AM.  All the times before, the preggies and families with infants and little kids got the brocha first so they could leave.  This time, a few people from our shul showed just how noble they are.  There was one family with a toddler and a pregnant wife, two families with toddlers, a couple more with little kids.  Who pushed through, ignoring the tired toddlers and babies who were either falling asleep or asleep in their parents' arms?  One of the shul's board members and his wife!  Now, not only were they there by themselves, but they weren't even leaving, they were staying until Sunday!  Then went the gabbai with the preggers wife and toddler, then two other families, and finally us.  The family who was supposed to go next were our friends who were driving us.  Who shoved in front instead, two bochurim, both of whom knew with who we came and who could could very well see me standing with NY in my arms and my mother with Shlomik.  Besides us, there were also other families with kids still waiting, but, apparently the force of the Rebbe's brocha wanes with each consecutive one and it was absolutely imperative that they get in in front.

While we had fun, the enjoyment was marred by these four people's display of selfishness and disregard for others.