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the shidduch project
polish. She was asking for trouble, in- “Miri is bright. If I’m making less than pointy shoes. How had her son ended up
viting it. Molly hated being called to I do now, we won’t be able to support in this group?
the principal’s office for those moth- Asher plus wife plus kid or kids.”
er-daughter meetings. Bella reminded Elazar was in the bathroom when she
Molly of herself at 15, yet Molly’s rebel- “Now I need to pry into some strang- answered the door.
lion had eventually brought her here to er’s financial life?”
Jerusalem, and who knew where Bella’s “Elazar went to sleep,” she tried, but
restlessness would take her? Nachum got up from the table. “I then Elazar turned up.
need to sleep.”
Molly thought back to the shidduch. “Ima, I never go to sleep this early.”
I’ll bet Ayelet Gold never saw the inside Molly slumped in her chair. How in Before she could respond, he left with
of the principal’s office. Yet she won- the world would she do this? She looked them.
dered. Was Ayelet an interesting person? at the wedding invitations stuck with She went into the living room where
Did she have any spunk? magnets to her fridge; three of them Nachum sat, looking into a Chumash.
would be the next week. How did anyone “Did you see what happened?” she asked.
uuu get married at all? “Yes, yes. It’s a phase. He’ll grow out
of it.”
After a week at his New Jersey office, uuu “When?” Her tone was more hopeless
Nachum returned home. His face was than angry.
pale, his eyes darkly ringed, and his char- Just before Shabbos, Nachum came “Parenting is a struggle. Even Avra-
coal-gray business suit badly creased. home with a huge bouquet of red roses. ham struggled with Yishamel.”
Molly had prepared blueberry pancakes, “And look how that ended up.”
freshly brewed coffee, and hand-squeezed “What’s this for?” Molly said. She eyed There was another knock at the door,
orange juice, but Nachum barely lifted him suspiciously. and Bella greeted her friends, girls in red
his fork. lipstick, dark eyeliner, huge dangling ear-
“I was hard on you and I have an idea.” rings, stiletto heels, and skirts that didn’t
“I know you’re zonked, but can we Molly’s mouth widened. “About cover their knees.
talk?” what?” Bella had been such a sweet child.
“That girl, Ayelet. Doesn’t she live How had she ended up with this crowd?
Nachum rubbed his eyes. “Later?” near Rabbi Brill? I bet Rebbetzin Brill can “Bella, how about you stay home and
“I’ll keep it short, okay?” give you the scoop.” we play Settlers of Catan?” said Molly.
“Is it about that girl?” Molly returned the bouquet. “I don’t “But my friends are here.”
“Ayelet. I made some calls. She sounds take bribes.” From the living room, Nachum called,
amazing.” Nachum arranged the flowers in a sil- “Let her go, just tell her to be home by
“Everyone exaggerates. If they say ver vase while Molly poured olive oil into eleven.”
she’s gorgeous, she’s mildly pretty. If small glass vials that she’d insert into the And Bella vanished into the night.
she’s a B student, they call her a genius.” candelabra. “I bet Ayelet Gold doesn’t do this,”
Molly laughed. “Yes, of course.” “I can’t go to Rebbetzin Brill to ask Molly told Nachum after they left. “Where
“What are they offering?” nosy questions about the Golds.” did we go wrong?”
“I hate this.” Molly’s voice was shrill, “Yes, you can, and it will all be fine “Those girls aren’t evil monsters.
frustrated. and you’ll have the grandchildren you’re They’ve probably got ADD.”
“It’s part of our tradition, wealthy men dreaming of.” Nachum grinned at her. “But look at their eyes. They’re so
marrying their daughters to the best bo- “If only it were all so simple,” empty. These girls have let themselves be
churim. That’s how Torah survives.” The air raid whistle blew, announc- molded by the idiotic pop culture.”
“But what about all of those rich fa- ing the arrival of Shabbos. Molly made “Where were you at their age? Where
thers-in-law who suddenly go bankrupt three circles with her hands and recited was I? They’re very young and stupid.
and the dowry is down the tubes?” Molly the blessing over the candles. She gazed They’ll figure it out. Pray for them.”
cut her pancake, said a bracha, and ate at the six flickering flames, one for each She looked at Nachum, seated in the
a piece. member of her family, and smiled. It green wingback chair like a king on his
Nachum sighed. “I can also get hit by would happen. She would find Asher a throne.
a bus or blown up by terrorists, but we wonderful girl to marry. They would have “How come you’re not worried sick?”
need to be in the present. Asher wants to a wonderful baby for her to look after, “What good will it do me? They’re ba-
stay in kollel. He needs food, clothing, a most likely more than one. Everything sically good kids.”
home, and a father-in-law who can help would be fine. He was right, of course, and yet even
with that. Sorry if I was too harsh. Scott For once, the Shabbos meal went basically good kids could get into so
wants to cut my hours. He’s thinking well. The chicken came out perfectly, not much trouble.u
of giving some of my work to his new too dry and not semi-raw, and everyone To be continued…
daughter-in-law, Miri.” sang zemiros, even Elazar. But right after
“But you’ve got so much experience.” bensching, Elazar’s friends came to the
door, a gaggle of skinny adolescents in
tight white shirts, tight black pants, and
104 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
polish. She was asking for trouble, in- “Miri is bright. If I’m making less than pointy shoes. How had her son ended up
viting it. Molly hated being called to I do now, we won’t be able to support in this group?
the principal’s office for those moth- Asher plus wife plus kid or kids.”
er-daughter meetings. Bella reminded Elazar was in the bathroom when she
Molly of herself at 15, yet Molly’s rebel- “Now I need to pry into some strang- answered the door.
lion had eventually brought her here to er’s financial life?”
Jerusalem, and who knew where Bella’s “Elazar went to sleep,” she tried, but
restlessness would take her? Nachum got up from the table. “I then Elazar turned up.
need to sleep.”
Molly thought back to the shidduch. “Ima, I never go to sleep this early.”
I’ll bet Ayelet Gold never saw the inside Molly slumped in her chair. How in Before she could respond, he left with
of the principal’s office. Yet she won- the world would she do this? She looked them.
dered. Was Ayelet an interesting person? at the wedding invitations stuck with She went into the living room where
Did she have any spunk? magnets to her fridge; three of them Nachum sat, looking into a Chumash.
would be the next week. How did anyone “Did you see what happened?” she asked.
uuu get married at all? “Yes, yes. It’s a phase. He’ll grow out
of it.”
After a week at his New Jersey office, uuu “When?” Her tone was more hopeless
Nachum returned home. His face was than angry.
pale, his eyes darkly ringed, and his char- Just before Shabbos, Nachum came “Parenting is a struggle. Even Avra-
coal-gray business suit badly creased. home with a huge bouquet of red roses. ham struggled with Yishamel.”
Molly had prepared blueberry pancakes, “And look how that ended up.”
freshly brewed coffee, and hand-squeezed “What’s this for?” Molly said. She eyed There was another knock at the door,
orange juice, but Nachum barely lifted him suspiciously. and Bella greeted her friends, girls in red
his fork. lipstick, dark eyeliner, huge dangling ear-
“I was hard on you and I have an idea.” rings, stiletto heels, and skirts that didn’t
“I know you’re zonked, but can we Molly’s mouth widened. “About cover their knees.
talk?” what?” Bella had been such a sweet child.
“That girl, Ayelet. Doesn’t she live How had she ended up with this crowd?
Nachum rubbed his eyes. “Later?” near Rabbi Brill? I bet Rebbetzin Brill can “Bella, how about you stay home and
“I’ll keep it short, okay?” give you the scoop.” we play Settlers of Catan?” said Molly.
“Is it about that girl?” Molly returned the bouquet. “I don’t “But my friends are here.”
“Ayelet. I made some calls. She sounds take bribes.” From the living room, Nachum called,
amazing.” Nachum arranged the flowers in a sil- “Let her go, just tell her to be home by
“Everyone exaggerates. If they say ver vase while Molly poured olive oil into eleven.”
she’s gorgeous, she’s mildly pretty. If small glass vials that she’d insert into the And Bella vanished into the night.
she’s a B student, they call her a genius.” candelabra. “I bet Ayelet Gold doesn’t do this,”
Molly laughed. “Yes, of course.” “I can’t go to Rebbetzin Brill to ask Molly told Nachum after they left. “Where
“What are they offering?” nosy questions about the Golds.” did we go wrong?”
“I hate this.” Molly’s voice was shrill, “Yes, you can, and it will all be fine “Those girls aren’t evil monsters.
frustrated. and you’ll have the grandchildren you’re They’ve probably got ADD.”
“It’s part of our tradition, wealthy men dreaming of.” Nachum grinned at her. “But look at their eyes. They’re so
marrying their daughters to the best bo- “If only it were all so simple,” empty. These girls have let themselves be
churim. That’s how Torah survives.” The air raid whistle blew, announc- molded by the idiotic pop culture.”
“But what about all of those rich fa- ing the arrival of Shabbos. Molly made “Where were you at their age? Where
thers-in-law who suddenly go bankrupt three circles with her hands and recited was I? They’re very young and stupid.
and the dowry is down the tubes?” Molly the blessing over the candles. She gazed They’ll figure it out. Pray for them.”
cut her pancake, said a bracha, and ate at the six flickering flames, one for each She looked at Nachum, seated in the
a piece. member of her family, and smiled. It green wingback chair like a king on his
Nachum sighed. “I can also get hit by would happen. She would find Asher a throne.
a bus or blown up by terrorists, but we wonderful girl to marry. They would have “How come you’re not worried sick?”
need to be in the present. Asher wants to a wonderful baby for her to look after, “What good will it do me? They’re ba-
stay in kollel. He needs food, clothing, a most likely more than one. Everything sically good kids.”
home, and a father-in-law who can help would be fine. He was right, of course, and yet even
with that. Sorry if I was too harsh. Scott For once, the Shabbos meal went basically good kids could get into so
wants to cut my hours. He’s thinking well. The chicken came out perfectly, not much trouble.u
of giving some of my work to his new too dry and not semi-raw, and everyone To be continued…
daughter-in-law, Miri.” sang zemiros, even Elazar. But right after
“But you’ve got so much experience.” bensching, Elazar’s friends came to the
door, a gaggle of skinny adolescents in
tight white shirts, tight black pants, and
104 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
