Rabbi's Log

Rabbi's Log

 

September 3, 2008

 

We have been planning a Welcome BBQ for weeks. The plan was to introduce Chabad to the new Jewish F&M students showing them the different opportunities for Jewish life on campus.

 

It was going to be at Buchanan Park, right next to the F&M campus.

 

Things were going good, students were involved, we had a nice crowd rsvping, I was looking forward to it.

 

(Don't tell anyone this, last time we had a BBQ at the Park we didn't have a permit. Luckily when we showed up the person that did have a permit gave it to us.)

 

This time I was going ot be organized, I went to the city and got a permit 2 weeks ago.

 

Nervously checking the weather…. 10 day forecast, 7 day forecast, 3 day forecast. I heard that the price of oil went up because of concerns of the weather.

 

Beautiful skies, sunny, perfect weather. Things are looking good!

 

The BBQ is scheduled for Thursday, Sept 4.

 

Here is where things went downhill…….

 

A student called me up…"Rabbi, we may have a problem."

 

"what's the problem?"

 

"The BBQ is scheduled for 5:30. Barak Obama is supposed to be at the park from 5:00 – 6:30"

 

"What?!"

 

"it's true, we just got an email!"

 

I went online (Where else can you find reliable information?) and sure enough, The Senator is scheduled to be at the park where we are supposed to be!

 

I called the city " Hey….um… we have a permit for the pavilion, is that still valid?"

 

"Yes."

 

"um….even though Barak Obama is supposed to be there?"

 

"Yes. He is getting the rest of the park, you are getting the use of just the pavilion".

 

"Ok."

 

I called the Mayor.

 

"Rick! How are you?"

 

"Rabbi, you are probably wondering why I haven't been coming to temple!"

 

"Actually, I haven't been there either,  but between the two of us, one of us should go! Why don't you go this week?

 

Then adopting a serious tone, I asked the mayor if we really would be allowed to use the pavilion if there is a presidential candidate in the park. "won't the secret service object?"…

 

The mayor told me that they are setting up right now and he will check into it and get back to me.

 

"How are you going to check into it?"

 

" I am going to walk over there and ask them".

 

"Mayor, you don't have to do that! I will do that, I am right across the street!"

 

So I strolled across the street, up the hill where a bunch of guys are hanging out, playing with some red flags. Dressed in T-shirt, sandals…

 

"are you setting up for tomorrow?"

 

"Yup!"

 

"well… we have a permit for the use of the pavilion, is there anyway you could accommodate us?"

 

"No one told us anything about that!"

 

I pulled the permit out and showed it to them.

 

"Ok. Instead of setting the fence here, here and here, we will set it up over there. And the line will go around the pavilion. Yes, Rabbi! We will make it work!"

 

I thanked them.

 

They apologized for the inconvenience.

 

I said, "that's alright, with the Senator coming, we probably are losing our crowd anyway!".

 

Then I said, "Hey, are you guys from Lancaster?"

 

They weren't. Chicago, California, New York… not Lancaster.

 

"Have any of you guys heard of Chabad?"

 

Guy in black shirt "Sure! Rabbi Zarchi in Harvard", Other guy in sandals "I know Rabbi Moscowitz in Chicago…"

 

"Well, the student group hosting the BBQ is Chabad of Lancaster serving F&M. Chabad is on 150 campuses in the US and 3000 locations worldwide."

 

"Yeah, we know Chabad is like huge!"

 

So I said, "I can't invite the Senator to come to the BBQ. It would appear to be endorsing him and I don't. (For a few reasons; IRS regulations, Chabad Policy, and my personal feeling that clergy should not be telling you who to vote for, more about that on a different post.) But, if he happens to be hungry and would like a nice kosher hot dog, we may have an extra one for him. If we do, and he comes to the pavilion, steps away from where he is speaking, I imagine that the F&M students would be thrilled to meet him, in an unofficial capacity. It may make up their disappointment from having a ruined BBQ."

 

They laughed. "Rabbi, we will pass that message on…"

 

I said, "it's not a "message". Anyone who is hungry for a kosher hot dog can get one, while supplies last. You can have one too. As long as you ask for one early enough."

 

I then called the Mayor and told him that if he is hungry tomorrow, to stop by and pick up a hot dog. ( I don't have a problem inviting him, he is already the Mayor!)

He said he will try!

 

I will let you know how it went. In the meantime we changed the BBQ time to 6:30.