It was a freezing cold week, ending with tragic terror events in Paris, so it was beautiful to sit down to our first Winter 2015 Cozy-Shabbat dinner (January 9th), around one big (or 6 connected) table. We spoke about feeling like Miriam, waiting and watching, anxious and hopeful about the tragic terror events and hostage crisis of that same day in Paris France. As is our custom on Cozy-Shabbat we went around the table, with each person sharing something meaningful, memorable, interesting or funny from their week. And it was Bluma’s 6th birthday, so we enjoyed a deliciously rich chocolate cake and a special celebration.
One of those present, Jeremy a UAlbany atmospheric sciences graduate student who also happens to be an avid chess player. He had just returned from a short winter break back home in the Midwest and came to Shabbos dinner. Later the same evening towards the end of the meal Dave F. came in. He was a regular at Shabbos House long ago, and for fifteen years now has a local business arranging for surgical tool repair. It’s nice to see him now and then, especially on the quieter Cozy-Shabbat weekends.
It was interesting to see that Jeremy knew Dave. They spoke animatedly. We wondered how they knew each other. Turns out they both love chess and play together in the same league. And we happen to know Chuck E. an organizer of that chess club (who happened to be one of the people who made our rare Minyan on the very next day for Shabbos morning). It happened that they played a game some time back and were interested in a rematch. Neither knew that the other was involved at Shabbos House, so it was an interesting surprise for them to meet at the Shabbos table.
There’s more! Brian L. came this Friday Night as well. He’s an alumni who lived in Albany for quite some time, went away for law school and has now returned. Guess what? Dave and Brian were UAlbany roommates back in the day for a semester!
Altogether there were maybe twenty of us around the Shabbos table that night. How interesting for these friends to meet! What a small world!