Off to Europe!!
+ Dena Shusterman's memoir, special interview on the pod.
I knew that we would make it in the end, but it was a push, that’s for sure. I am now sitting (for the first time in days) on the first of three flights for our summer family adventure. (Although the kids are getting older, and we are down to three on this trip.)
Summer is an intense time for me, my family, and our Shlichus, and this year felt even more intense. Camps didn’t work out as planned, so there was lots of togetherness at home with very little structure. Enough said….
Another component to all of this is how busy and intense the tourist season has become. We love the opportunity to provide delicious food and a warm and loving environment for the many, many people who pass through Bozeman in the summer. I take a lot of pride in the way in which we host, not taking any shortcuts, and taking care of people in the way I would want to be taken care of.
We have been in Bozeman for nineteen years, ka”h, and it’s hard to keep up sometimes. Chaim Shaul and I have been discussing that it’s ok for things to change and evolve as stages in our life change. We don’t have to do the same thing, in the same way, forever. Until now, all the cooking and organizing of these Shabbosim has been me. I’m definitely ready for some adjustments. Change is scary and can be unsettling, especially when you don’t know exactly how and what is changing, but I really think it’s also an opportunity for expansion. It’s hard to let go of something you’ve been invested in for so long. It almost becomes part of your identity, but that’s also how you know it might be time :). Don’t worry, Bozeman Chabad will always host travelers with the class and standard we hold dear, but maybe it doesn’t have to be all on me, all the time.
This inner dialogue has been front and center lately, and I find it to be very serendipitous that while in this mode, I got to read Dena Shusterman’s memoir, Stories Carry. This book is a true masterpiece, and I don’t say this lightly. Dena sets out on a journey to tell her father’s story, and what happens through telling his story is that she’s really sharing her own story right alongside it. I have not read a book in the Orthodox Jewish world that is (A) so beautifully written by all standards, and (B) actually tells us the real story.
Not only the good parts, not only the impressive parts, and not only the parts that are comfortable and safe. We get to hear the painful parts, the doubts, the questions, the uncertainty that all of us feel but very few have the courage to share. Dena’s story really impacted me, as we both grew up on Shlichus and are ourselves on Shlichus, and I can relate to and understand so many of the emotions and complexities that come along with this particular life’s mission. Shlichus is a privilege, and it’s something we get to do! Some people would like it to be that black and white. Some people like to say there are no struggles and gloss over the real day-to-day hardships. Not me and not Dena :)
What this book does is hold all the truths. We aren’t satisfied anymore with surface level. This generation asks of us to be real, to be honest. No sugarcoating. I found myself feeling so held, understood, and seen throughout my reading experience. Trust me, you do not have to be on Shlichus to appreciate this book. You will come to love and know all the characters. You will be taken back a few generations, and you will be brought back to present day. You will relate to the complexities of life and the long-term impact choices have on us. You will be drawn in by the beautiful writing. You will feel like you are there, and you will be left with the lasting impact that all of these stories carry.
I really hope you read this book; you can preorder now! Get your hands on it soon because I am honored to have had Dena on Totally Unexpected! for her very first podcast conversation about the book, and it’s fantastic. It will be airing very soon, and you don’t want to miss it, so keep your eyes peeled.
Bringing this back to where I started… I am very much looking forward to this trip. I get a lot of enjoyment out of travel. This isn’t something new you’re hearing from me. I have talked about all the benefits of traveling with my family many times. A little extra excited this year.
I will definitely share with you along the way. Check back here on Substack next week, and I am pretty sure I’ll share some on Instagram as well.
Chavie