In fact, we may be at one of the more demoralizing stages in the process right now. We’ve... Read the rest of this post »»]]> We’re still plugging along with the remodel, in case you were wondering. I think it’s hard to see significant progress until the work is nearly done. So, it’s challenging to keep up the momentum when there is little pay-off at each step.

In fact, we may be at one of the more demoralizing stages in the process right now. We’ve moved all of the children’s belongings (other than beds) into the dining room to make the final wall rehab and painting easier. So, we no longer have access to the dining room; and the chaos of kids rummaging through boxes to find clothing, books, and other precious items is reminiscent of photos I’ve seen of refugee camps. Well…refugee camps in tastefully decorated dining rooms, that is.

Thankfully, we’ve had a real boon of forward momentum with Gilad having been on “vacation” for three weeks. Between the occasional sci-fi movie, he framed and sheetrocked frelling shiploads if wall and ceiling. And all at warp speed.

Special thanks to friends who have also recently pitched in to help shlep materials, hang sheetrock, or do math homework with the kids so we could continue working in the evenings! There’s some of your blood, sweat and tears in these walls, too.

So much for the blogging this morning. Today’s tasks begin with extending heating ducts. Wish us luck!

Like a trusted friend, I must confess, Guiding us safely, By GPS.

You are phone and phonebook, Orderly and pristine. Camera and album, And white noise machine.

With you at our side, I know we’ll pull through. We conquered New York. Now, what else shall we do?!

It goes on it’s own vacation, of course!

While we were on vacation in NY, our car went on a local vacation with some fine young Chassidim. And what did our car do on vacation?

Our car became a Mitzvah Mobile! Previously, our car ferried us... Read the rest of this post »»]]> What does a family car do while the family is on vacation, if the car isn’t invited?

It goes on it’s own vacation, of course!

While we were on vacation in NY, our car went on a local vacation with some fine young Chassidim. And what did our car do on vacation?

Our car became a Mitzvah Mobile! Previously, our car ferried us around, enduring the drudgeries of daily errands, suffering the indignities of loud kinder voices, and even the hazzards of food being ground into it’s otherwise clean interior surfaces. While on vacation, however, our car carried Chassidim on Mivtzoim (outreach outings, bringing Judaism to Jews).

Now, that’s a vacation!

Well, maybe “pleasant” is pushing it… How about “less daunting”?

I thought it had something to do with how busy these airports are. But Newark Liberty is only a little busier than Seatac: 32.8 – 35.4 million passangers passing through Newark Liberty in 2008 (depending upon... Read the rest of this post »»]]> Why is the SeaTac airport experience so much more pleasant than the Newark Liberty airport experience?

Well, maybe “pleasant” is pushing it… How about “less daunting”?

I thought it had something to do with how busy these airports are. But Newark Liberty is only a little busier than Seatac: 32.8 – 35.4 million passangers passing through Newark Liberty in 2008 (depending upon which figures you look at), versus about 32.2 million passangers passing through SeaTac in the same year.

Could it be the size of the airports? Well, SeaTac may actually have a slightly greater runway length: Almost 30,000 feet, versus almost 28,000 in Newark Liberty (though the figures I found for Newark Liberty seemed a little suspicious, or at least a little incomplete).

Maybe it’s the manners of airport staff! For that matter, maybe manners on the West Coast in general (versus “manners” on the East Coast), make the general experience at each of these airports so different. Maybe the same can be said about interacting with people in general on the West Coast versus the East Coast.

Whatever the case, we are already missing NY, but the pleasantness of home softens many blows.

And while we are all looking forward to the near forgotton comforts of home, I think we are all acutely aware that we are giving up something prescious by living so far away from this place.

So before we leave, before we even have a... Read the rest of this post »»]]> Time to leave, unfortunately. We could certainly use a few more weeks here (or at least days).

And while we are all looking forward to the near forgotton comforts of home, I think we are all acutely aware that we are giving up something prescious by living so far away from this place.

So before we leave, before we even have a chance to refer to this trip in the past tense, we resolve outloud, as well as in our hearts, to come back again as soon as possible, G-d willing.

Farewell Crown Heights. We’ll be back as soon as we can, Rebbe.

The space is definitely well used, but also includes one additional amenity: A shvitz (sauna)! Regrettably, the shvitz was out of... Read the rest of this post »»]]> The Shteebl Mikvah (on Empire Blvd, between Brooklyn Ave and New York Ave), feels like a bit of a mix between the quaint (and somewhat worn) “neighborhood mikvah” and the more styled “big city” mikvah we experienced at Mikvah Meir.

The space is definitely well used, but also includes one additional amenity: A shvitz (sauna)! Regrettably, the shvitz was out of service when we visited, but we still has a fine time here.

This was a strange experience indeed. Several people told us about this mikvah, so we had every reason to believe it was at 770 Montgomery Street. Unfortunately, the only person we could find to ask was a local working at the address in question... Read the rest of this post »»]]> Where is the 770 Montgomery Mikvah? We found the address, or so we thought, but no mikvah!

This was a strange experience indeed. Several people told us about this mikvah, so we had every reason to believe it was at 770 Montgomery Street. Unfortunately, the only person we could find to ask was a local working at the address in question (and/or next door), but her English was insufficient (as is our Spanish), and she seemed particularly eager to get rid of us.

So we left.

Now, we still believe there is a mikvah at (or near) 770 Montgomery Street, so we will make every effort to attempt this tavel (dip or dunk) in a future Mikvah Hop, G-d willing.

Of course, judging by today’s experience, we may need to bring our Interdimentional Mikvah Detector. Stay tuned for further news on the development of this new technology.

Most interior surfaces are a pleasing and relaxing blue color. The pleasant “homey” feel of the place makes up nicely for the occasional exposed pipe or worn surface.... Read the rest of this post »»]]> The Lefferts Mikvah (on Lefferts, between Albany and Troy), is probably the oldest of the Mikvahs we’ll be visiting. Or, perhaps, just the most used… Or, maybe, just the most casually cared for.

Most interior surfaces are a pleasing and relaxing blue color. The pleasant “homey” feel of the place makes up nicely for the occasional exposed pipe or worn surface. A real “neighborhood mikvah”!

No, no, scratch that! Try, WOWWW!!!

We do indeed love those character filled “neighborhood mikvahs”, but this is something else! This is a space aged “big city” mikvah! (located on Kingston Ave, across the street from Kingston Pizza, BTW).

As we passed through the grand entryway (nice solid door in a new decorative facade), we were surprised at first to see a... Read the rest of this post »»]]> Wow!

No, no, scratch that! Try, WOWWW!!!

We do indeed love those character filled “neighborhood mikvahs”, but this is something else! This is a space aged “big city” mikvah! (located on Kingston Ave, across the street from Kingston Pizza, BTW).

As we passed through the grand entryway (nice solid door in a new decorative facade), we were surprised at first to see a very limited space – A single hallway stretching ahead of us with a few doors along each of the long walls.

We realized very quickly that this mikvah is likely to be different from most other mikvahs we had been to or heard about as we walked down this beautifully made hall and passed by newly installed change machines (set nicely in the left wall, clean, and presented as professionally as ATM’s in the best of uptown banks).

The door to the mikvah is the final door on the left side of this short hall, or so we thought. It’s labeled “Mikvah” (in Hebrew), so we expected to walk straight into the main event.

Instead, as we walked through the door, we found a long staircase leading down and running parallel to the entry hallway (back toward the street).

We went down the long stair case, again, surrounded by well finished surfaces. At the bottom landing, we found an automated mikvah attendant and a locked metal turnstile.

Now, the automated attendant won’t hand you a towel or wish you Hatzlacha (success) in your day, but it will unlock the turnstile for you – After you feed it the required mikvah fee ($3 per dip per person on weekdays, $5 on Erev Shabbos, and a bulk discount card is available).

At the beginning of the entry process, the metal turnstile is locked and a red light glows directly above. As you feed the attendant, a screen counts remaining fees required. Once the feeding is complete, the red light turns off, a green light atop the turnstile turns on, and the turnstile unlocks for a single 1/3 turn (enough for one person to pass).

It’s not the cheapest fun to be had in Crown Heights, but it is indeed fun! And the turnstile is so much cleaner than the average subway turnstile – It may well be the only clean one for miles.

So, is Mikvah Meir worth the cost? Let’s go through this spinning metal marvel and take a look!

Upon passing the turnstile, we enter the dressing room. This place is made up so beautifully, one can easily imagine sitting in here for relaxation. The ceilings look like grand palace spaces, formed of sweeping arches conjoining into classical domes. The lights all point upward, further enhancing the grand feeling of this space while illuminating it with gentle grace.

The showers are arranged in a hall (within shallow stalls) that connects the dressing room to the actual mikvah. Each stall is outfitted with a large rectangular overhead showerhead that turns on automatically as you step into the stall. The temperature dial is directly in front of the user’s normal standing position, and it is very easy to control and very responsive.

Each stall is also outfitted with soap and shampoo dispensers and a small hand towel that can be draped in front of the motion sensor in case you want the water to run continuously, even when when you step momentarily out of the shallow stall.

As we exit the shower hall, we arrive, finally, at the mikvah itself. The water is pristinely clean, the temperature is just warm enough to be comfortable (and comforting), and the space plentiful and entirely free of breaks, wares, or blemishes.

So, again, is it worth the expense? Let me put it this way – Schneur Zalman and Yisroel Shem Tov were in rare absolute agreement that there was no reason to leave! Even for ice cream! Yes, Mikvah Meir is absolutely worth it! Of course, if we were to make a regular habit of this, the discounted pre-paid card would be a must.

The Ehven boys (and middle aged man) are foiled again!

Oh, well… It seems our list of required Mikvah Hop reruns planned for our next visit is growing. If this trend continues, we will have to be mashlim (completing) the circuit on our next visit rather than actually repeating it.