Thursday we got an early start, Mikvah on Q-street then took Speer down to Alameda on the East Side to DAT (pronounced Da'at) for 7:30 Shacharis and met with the students. Rebbe got Levi and benched Gomel and I got Hagbah. Leib Zalesch took care of us for in the morning with the younger grades.
And the principal Daniel Alter showed us where the high school building was a few blocks away. At noon we went a few blocks to Hillel Academy where we met with Faculty only. Then back across Alameda up Speer to the West Side to give a shiur to Toras Chaim on S-street followed by Mincha. Chaim arranged a fleishig lunch for us, and Menachem brought us two yeshiva "dinners" from the kitchen for lunch in Rabbi Wasserman's office. Then Ed Bernstein got his photo shoot with the Rebbe. We had just enough time to find a Verizon Wireless store to reactivate Itcha's portable internet device before heading back down Speer to Alameda on the East Side to meet with DAT faculty, followed by a couple of public school students in Rabbi Sunshine's program and over to dinner at Leib's house across the street, where we also met with the Rebbe's friend Gidon who was visiting from Har Nof. That evening the Rebbe gave a Parsha shmooze at Mercaz.
Then one last time across Alameda up Speer back to the West Side to the Heislers. It was only one day, but it felt proficient enough to start giving others driving directions It felt like we had been in Denver for a week.
And the principal Daniel Alter showed us where the high school building was a few blocks away. At noon we went a few blocks to Hillel Academy where we met with Faculty only. Then back across Alameda up Speer to the West Side to give a shiur to Toras Chaim on S-street followed by Mincha. Chaim arranged a fleishig lunch for us, and Menachem brought us two yeshiva "dinners" from the kitchen for lunch in Rabbi Wasserman's office. Then Ed Bernstein got his photo shoot with the Rebbe. We had just enough time to find a Verizon Wireless store to reactivate Itcha's portable internet device before heading back down Speer to Alameda on the East Side to meet with DAT faculty, followed by a couple of public school students in Rabbi Sunshine's program and over to dinner at Leib's house across the street, where we also met with the Rebbe's friend Gidon who was visiting from Har Nof. That evening the Rebbe gave a Parsha shmooze at Mercaz.
Then one last time across Alameda up Speer back to the West Side to the Heislers. It was only one day, but it felt proficient enough to start giving others driving directions It felt like we had been in Denver for a week.
Friday we didn't have to be in Hillel Academy on the East side until 9:30 so we decided to daven Shacharis with Toras Chaim at 8, and managed to have a quick breakfast with Rabbi Wasserman and Hillel Goldberg. Once again down Speer to Alameda to speak with the three different groups of students of Hillel Academy until about 10:30. 
We had some time until we had to be go back to the West side to speak to the Kollel at 11:30, so the Rebbe and I sat in the car outside the building. He prepared his Yerushalmi Shiur while I caught up on e-mail. At 11:30 we entered the building, which seemed pretty abandoned, but we figured maybe because it was Friday. The sign said the Kollel was on the 3rd and 5th floor, so at least we thought we were in the right place. However, when we got up to the 5th floor it was deserted. So we got back in and tried the 3rd floor, but the elevator went all the way to the lobby, where we met Yehoshua, one of the members of the Kollel, so again we knew we were in the right place. We pressed 3 on the elevator, but again we went up to the 5th floor, so we walked down to three. After speaking to the Kollel we went back to the Mikvah on Q-street and then while I sent out Torah Insights, the Rebbe met with a few individuals from the West side at the Heislers who would not be able to come to the east side on Sunday for appointments. By a little after 2 PM we were able to get a short rest and get ready for Shabbos. We walked to shul early on the 1st W-street and were the first ones there after the Rav of the Shul, Rabbi Steinberg, his kids and Dr. Unger. After Maariv we walked with Dr. Fine and his guests back to his home on the 2nd W-street for dinner and then Tish, which had a standing room only turnout. On the way home we passed by the shul to drop off the Rebbe's things and slept on V-street at Heisler
Shabbos morning Shacharis was 8:30 but we got up early to walk to the Q-street Mikvah and then back to Zera Avraham on the 1st W-street. Rebbe got Levi and I got Gelilah. Rebbe spoke after Mussaf and sat with Rabbi Steinberg and Rabbi Wasserman during Kiddush with Zemiros. I sat with R' Yonasan's brother-in-law R' Eli. Lunch was at Rabbi Steinberg and R' Kagan came special to wish the Rebbe Good Shabbos even though he wasn't staying for lunch. Rebbe was exhausted and asked to bench and left before desert, our apologies to Rebbetzin Steinberg. After a short rest at Heisler we went back to Zera Avraham for Mincha and Seudah Shlishit, I sat with Rabbi Heisler in the back. Havdallah we did back at Heisler, we had to pack up fast, and say our goodbyes, as the Melaveh Malka at the East Side Kosher Deli was called for 7:30. A respectable turn out.
I thought more people would come considering it was the main Kosher restaurant in Denver, but it turns out that one of the shuls in the area was having their annual dinner. We made it to the Kirshbaums around 10 PM, we would be staying on the East Side for the rest of the trip.
Sunday morning we made it to the East side Mikvah OK and then we had to drive to Aish Denver in the South East. I could have sworn the sign said Yosemite, but after we had gone more than 2.5 miles and no sign of Bellview I knew we had made a wrong turn. Later I found out that I was going East instead of South. The question was how to improvise so I wouldn't have to backtrack all the way back to Yale. So I stopped in at a gas station and quickly found out that the Interstate South had an exit on Yosemite. Now the question was right or left off the exit ramp. I made the right and looked for the next gas station, who told me I had guessed wrong. We arrived at Aish Denver about 15 minutes late for Shacharis, which was very good considering how bad it could have been. This is why I always aim to get anywhere about 15 minutes early. I even convinced the Rabbi Tennenbaum to slow down the Chazan so that the Rebbe and I could catch up. The turn out for breakfast and the Rebbe's shmooze was very nice and the niggun and dancing went over well.
We were late to our next appointment but this one wasn't my fault. I got the address of the website, and when we pulled up to the JCC on Dahlia and asked for the Jewish Experience the guard even told us where to go, and the maintenance people even said we were in the right place. It turns out that their offices are still in the JCC, but they had moved a few minutes away to a local public school for Sunday classes. It's a good thing Rabbi Wasserman's son Rabbi Wasserman called me with directions, because I only had the office number. The entire Jewish Experience program was very impressive, I don't think I have ever seen a Sunday School program like it anywhere, where both the students and their parents come for Jewish Education.
The rest of Sunday afternoon and evening was by appointment at the Kirschbaums, although the Rebbe did speak between Mincha/Maariv at EDOS. We had salmon for lunch and dinner with some of the Kirschbaum's extended family. We also stopped by the Deli to vacuum pack some salami for the Rebbe to take back to Eretz Yisroel.
Monday morning we packed up some food and davened Shacharis at Mercaz before heading to the airport. We had breakfast downstairs right outside of security and I have never seen such a long line of TSA in my life, mainly because all gates went through this checkpoint before taking the train to the terminals. We arrived in LGA about a half-hour ahead of schedule and I thought we might be able to make Mincha in Great Neck, but between the luggage taking forever, and the bus services to Hertz taking another forever, we ended up davening B'Yechidus at the airport. It was actually much colder in NY then it was in Denver which was surprising. The Rebbe was concerned that the Mazda 2 we got was too small, but I just wanted to get going, as we had a schedule to keep. Got to Great Neck after Maariv, spent time with Dad, and loaded the car with lots of Chametz U'Matzah that was sitting in the basement since November. We made it on time to the Eisenbergs in North Woodmere for dinner. After a few appointments we headed for Brooklyn for Maariv, missed the 11:00 at Frankels but caught the 11:15 at Landau's and slept in Brooklyn at Frankel.
Stay tuned for the second half of the trip in NY/NJ...
We had some time until we had to be go back to the West side to speak to the Kollel at 11:30, so the Rebbe and I sat in the car outside the building. He prepared his Yerushalmi Shiur while I caught up on e-mail. At 11:30 we entered the building, which seemed pretty abandoned, but we figured maybe because it was Friday. The sign said the Kollel was on the 3rd and 5th floor, so at least we thought we were in the right place. However, when we got up to the 5th floor it was deserted. So we got back in and tried the 3rd floor, but the elevator went all the way to the lobby, where we met Yehoshua, one of the members of the Kollel, so again we knew we were in the right place. We pressed 3 on the elevator, but again we went up to the 5th floor, so we walked down to three. After speaking to the Kollel we went back to the Mikvah on Q-street and then while I sent out Torah Insights, the Rebbe met with a few individuals from the West side at the Heislers who would not be able to come to the east side on Sunday for appointments. By a little after 2 PM we were able to get a short rest and get ready for Shabbos. We walked to shul early on the 1st W-street and were the first ones there after the Rav of the Shul, Rabbi Steinberg, his kids and Dr. Unger. After Maariv we walked with Dr. Fine and his guests back to his home on the 2nd W-street for dinner and then Tish, which had a standing room only turnout. On the way home we passed by the shul to drop off the Rebbe's things and slept on V-street at Heisler
Shabbos morning Shacharis was 8:30 but we got up early to walk to the Q-street Mikvah and then back to Zera Avraham on the 1st W-street. Rebbe got Levi and I got Gelilah. Rebbe spoke after Mussaf and sat with Rabbi Steinberg and Rabbi Wasserman during Kiddush with Zemiros. I sat with R' Yonasan's brother-in-law R' Eli. Lunch was at Rabbi Steinberg and R' Kagan came special to wish the Rebbe Good Shabbos even though he wasn't staying for lunch. Rebbe was exhausted and asked to bench and left before desert, our apologies to Rebbetzin Steinberg. After a short rest at Heisler we went back to Zera Avraham for Mincha and Seudah Shlishit, I sat with Rabbi Heisler in the back. Havdallah we did back at Heisler, we had to pack up fast, and say our goodbyes, as the Melaveh Malka at the East Side Kosher Deli was called for 7:30. A respectable turn out.
I thought more people would come considering it was the main Kosher restaurant in Denver, but it turns out that one of the shuls in the area was having their annual dinner. We made it to the Kirshbaums around 10 PM, we would be staying on the East Side for the rest of the trip.Sunday morning we made it to the East side Mikvah OK and then we had to drive to Aish Denver in the South East. I could have sworn the sign said Yosemite, but after we had gone more than 2.5 miles and no sign of Bellview I knew we had made a wrong turn. Later I found out that I was going East instead of South. The question was how to improvise so I wouldn't have to backtrack all the way back to Yale. So I stopped in at a gas station and quickly found out that the Interstate South had an exit on Yosemite. Now the question was right or left off the exit ramp. I made the right and looked for the next gas station, who told me I had guessed wrong. We arrived at Aish Denver about 15 minutes late for Shacharis, which was very good considering how bad it could have been. This is why I always aim to get anywhere about 15 minutes early. I even convinced the Rabbi Tennenbaum to slow down the Chazan so that the Rebbe and I could catch up. The turn out for breakfast and the Rebbe's shmooze was very nice and the niggun and dancing went over well.
We were late to our next appointment but this one wasn't my fault. I got the address of the website, and when we pulled up to the JCC on Dahlia and asked for the Jewish Experience the guard even told us where to go, and the maintenance people even said we were in the right place. It turns out that their offices are still in the JCC, but they had moved a few minutes away to a local public school for Sunday classes. It's a good thing Rabbi Wasserman's son Rabbi Wasserman called me with directions, because I only had the office number. The entire Jewish Experience program was very impressive, I don't think I have ever seen a Sunday School program like it anywhere, where both the students and their parents come for Jewish Education.
The rest of Sunday afternoon and evening was by appointment at the Kirschbaums, although the Rebbe did speak between Mincha/Maariv at EDOS. We had salmon for lunch and dinner with some of the Kirschbaum's extended family. We also stopped by the Deli to vacuum pack some salami for the Rebbe to take back to Eretz Yisroel.
Monday morning we packed up some food and davened Shacharis at Mercaz before heading to the airport. We had breakfast downstairs right outside of security and I have never seen such a long line of TSA in my life, mainly because all gates went through this checkpoint before taking the train to the terminals. We arrived in LGA about a half-hour ahead of schedule and I thought we might be able to make Mincha in Great Neck, but between the luggage taking forever, and the bus services to Hertz taking another forever, we ended up davening B'Yechidus at the airport. It was actually much colder in NY then it was in Denver which was surprising. The Rebbe was concerned that the Mazda 2 we got was too small, but I just wanted to get going, as we had a schedule to keep. Got to Great Neck after Maariv, spent time with Dad, and loaded the car with lots of Chametz U'Matzah that was sitting in the basement since November. We made it on time to the Eisenbergs in North Woodmere for dinner. After a few appointments we headed for Brooklyn for Maariv, missed the 11:00 at Frankels but caught the 11:15 at Landau's and slept in Brooklyn at Frankel.
Stay tuned for the second half of the trip in NY/NJ...
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