Tyson, VA (near D.C.)

Following my travels from yesterday, I flew from Houston to Dulles airport for a mid-day bris.
The timing worked out rather nicely and the bris went without a hitch.

Thank God, all wonderful and good.

Here is the location of the bris - a tucked away Chabad "house" (literally, a house), where there was plenty of room for guests of family and friends to sit through the ceremony and then to move to the basement for the celebratory meal!



I don't *always* explain every aspect of the bris. But in this case in particular, it was the right move, and a number of people told me afterwards that hearing the explanations makes the whole thing (a bris and all the trimmings, pardon the pun) make sense. Without an understanding of why we do this, it has the ability to be perceived as gobblygook.

I can put that on a business card. "The anti-gobblygook mohel!"

And again... Houston, TX

Coming to Houston is a mixed experience. Of course, as I am always coming for a bris, there is tremendous joy and simcha! On the other hand, driving around and seeing the remains of houses that were ruined by Hurricane Harvey is rather sad. The good news is that in the neighborhood where I usually find myself, there is a lot of (elevated) building going on. Hopefully this is a sign that should bad weather come in the future, the people will be prepared!

I got to Houston Wednesday morning for an afternoon bris, so I found a quiet corner in the Cafe by the J, where I could do work. Of course there I saw this sign, which is a great example of taking a verse from the Torah out of context in order to further (though in this case the message is harmless) an agenda.

The bris took place in Genesis Steakhouse, a second time for me, following in the heels of one of my earlier brisses in Houston.

Nice decor

Here is the spot where the bris took place, after the deed was done. 

note the good lighting!

 And isn't this baby delicious? This is his post bris nap!

 One really cool gimmick. The photographer was snapping pictures, and all the while he was printing them on fridge magnets for people to take home. Cool!

A few more pictures from the bris. Note the wine walls. Pretty clear why they call themselves a wine and steak bar. Oh. And an incredible glatt kosher restaurant.

 This is what they served for the celebratory meal. 

It was as delicious as it looks. 

When I left the following morning to head to DC (see next blog post), I found myself leaving my hotel REALLY EARLY in the pre-morning, with not enough time to daven. I had to return a rental car and then take a shuttle in order to catch a 7:30 flight. So by the time I got through security it was 6:15 and light outside. I don't like to draw attention to myself through putting on Tefillin in the airport, but when I snooped around a bit, I found this lovely corner that seemed a little off the beaten path. 

And so here is where I prayed. Note my luggage in the bottom right corner.

As it turned out, this room, which might have been otherwise occupied or used, had recently been disassigned from one of its normal usages. Added blessing!

I took the pictures after I was done, but before the wrap up. Great experience!

Hadran Alakh Houston! We shall return!

Houston, TX - Shabbos Chanukah

I flew into Houston for a bris to take place on Shabbos Chanukah.

As the bris was on the Holy Day, I did not take any pictures at the bris. Sorry.

Anyway, this was my first time back in Houston since Hurricane Harvey. I had heard things were bad, but I didn't realize how bad. In one section of this neighborhood, every ranch (and not-elevated house) was ruined. Walking around it feels almost like a ghost town.

Even the main sanctuary of the synagogue, and most of the older building was destroyed beyond repair (they have a social hall, relatively new, which is elevated, which they are now using as their sanctuary and multi-purpose room)

On the other hand, they are building! New codes mean every new house needs to be raised above the ground.



And some houses whose basic structure wasn't damaged are being elevated. They will surely be gutted and remodeled when they are ready.

It will be nice to see this community back on its feet. It will take time.

Looking forward to my next trip - under better conditions for all!

Santiago, Dominican Republic

With beautiful timing, the baby was born the Tuesday before Yom Kippur, allowing for the bris to take place the day before Erev Sukkot. As luck would have it, that was really the only way this could have worked out, as I really had no intention to spend the 3 days of Sukkot in the Dominican Republic. 

With one flight coming in from Ft. Lauderdale to Santo Domingo on Tuesday, and one flight flying from Santiago to Miami on Wednesday, that was the route I had to fly.

Here are pictures from Santo Domingo airport

Since the bris was going to take place in Santiago, we had a 3-hr drive, in which I got to see the Dominican Republic "countryside." Lots of motorized bicycles on the road. :)

The mountains are stunning!

And here is a section of roadway that reminded me (a bit) of the Palisades (NY/NJ)

Here is the view from my hosts' apartment.

Grateful to havebeen invited. Honored to have played a role. And appreciative of the opportunity to visit a country I might not have otherwise ever visited were it not for this profession!

Austin, TX and then some

"Can you come to camp for a bris?"

Sure.

So I flew to Austin, TX, and drove an hour to my final destination.

Some of the sites on the way.

A few firsts:
* I've never done a bris in a summer camp
* I've never done a bris with so many young people watching the procedure
* I've never done a bris at which the baby's father wore pink shorts!

Here's the setup:

Bris was very nice - certainly a new experience on many levels.  

As there were no flights home afterwards, I had to spend the night - which worked out nicely for the baby, as my care for him becomes extended through necessity.

Here's my post bris view, lounging on a rocking chair in a late, dry, Texas afternoon.

It's really nice here. I'm not used to the dryness, as in all my former and current living places there was/is always some humidity to contend with.

But I also know I'll remember this bris for a long time, when the baby was brought to summer workplace for his bris.

Kind of like Moses' son, who was to be circumcised on the road to Egypt (Shmot 4:23). But in this journey and heat, there is air conditioning!

Houston Revisited

I can get used to this.

I had the privilege to go to Houston, TX once again for a bris. But this time, since the baby was born on Saturday, it was a "Shabbos bris!"

This meant that I had to fly in Friday before sundown, stay the entire weekend, and I finally came home today (Sunday), as there were no flights out of Houston on Saturday night, by the time Shabbos was over.

As no one in this crowd takes pictures on Saturday (Orthodox Jewish crowd), there are no pictures from the bris.

However, before I left this morning, I took a stoic selfie to mark the occasion and location. (when earbuds are plugged into the phone, it's possible to take a selfie without holding the phone)

This is the twice-recently-flooded sanctuary of UOS (United Orthodox Synagogues), where Rabbi Barry Gelman has been the rabbi for 15 years. Rough times for the shul those were - they seem to be doing well, despite the setbacks.

ANYWAY, it was an honor to serve this beautiful family. I am grateful for the opportunity to be there for them for Shabbos, when it is often very difficult to procure a mohel. I am grateful to my wife for letting me go. Thankful to all those who hosted me (including a couple featured here earlier who have since moved to Houston), and the family that hosted me for Shabbos dinner - which was delicious!!

Lewisburg, PA

WHERE IS LEWISBURG?

Exactly.

It's 3 hours from Newark airport by car.  Or from Philadelphia.

I flew into Newark, rented a car and drove 3 hours on Rt 80. For the Bris of the first baby of a lovely couple doing important work in mid Pennsylvania.

Some pictures from my drive and from the festivities.