Small world on plane

On the plane yesterday from Amsterdam to Memphis, I was sitting on the plane next to a couple from Memphis.  I told the woman, Lydia Gibson, that my son-in-law was an oncologist at the West Clinic.  She said that she was a patient there of a different doctor, but knew Brad, who was always friendly and so positive to all the patients.  I was quite proud.

Rocky Brodie

On Wednesday I treated myself to a pedicure.  There was a young woman there getting a manicure speaking Hebrew with an American accent.  In the course of conversation I asked her name.  She said it was Rocky Brodie.  She and her husband made Aliya recently to Modiin - it turns out that she is a younger sister-in-law of Shayna's good friend Rocky Brodie with the same name!

Small World!

Family from Chicago

As I mentioned in my previous post, Yair Hagege was in a concert tonight that we attended.  There was a little boy who played who was on the program as Tom Allerhand.  His father looked like our friend Jesse Allerhand, married to Alissa Krupnick from Chicago.  Jesse and Alissa lived near us in Monsey and we used to play bridge together.  I approached the father and asked if his name was Ptachia Allerhand and it was.  I gave him our phone numbers to give to his parents.  It also turns out that his wife is the daughter of a friend from High School, Bill Levin.

Small world!

Meeting on the train

We took the train from Modiin to Zichron to see Yair play the clarinet in a concert.  Sitting across from us was a grandmother and her two granddaughters.  When I asked the woman her name, she replied "Shechter".  I responded that the first mayor of Modiin's name was Shechter.  Sure enough, that was her husband!

Small world

Met a cousin of the Libmans

Last night, Motzsh, I took the train from Ethel's in Zichron Yaakov to Modiin.  When I got off the train in Modiin, I saw a woman struggling with her suitcases.  I helped her with her suitcases (gallant gentleman that I am) and to find the way outside, where she said that her daughter was waiting for her.  She rode the train from Nahariya, where she apparently spent Shabbat, to Modiin.  Her daughter from Jerusalem was waiting to take her to visit her family in Jerusalem.

When she told me that she was from Teaneck and her name was Libman (pronounced Leebman), I asked if she was related to our friends Laibel and Esther from Monsey.  She said that her late husband, who passed away a year ago, was Laibel's cousin and that she felt close to Laibel and Esther!

Small world!

Simchat Torah in Ramat Shilo

We has a lovely Simchat Torah at Shira and David's.  I was talking to the wife of the rabbi of the Bet Knesset, Mrs. Bagnow (an Israeli).  She told me that her mother was originally from Chicago and married an Israeli.  It turns out that her mother, Sylvia nee Cohen was in Elayne's class in the Chicago Jewish Academy and now lives in B'Er Sheva.  We also know Sylvia's sister Cissy who married a guy I knew in the Yeshiva.

Small world! 

Met Louie Katz's cousin

A woman by the name of Lisa Mati dropped into AACI today.  I asked her where she was from in the States and she answered,
"San Diego".  I asked her if she knew Lou and Rita Katz and she said, yes.  As a matter of fact, they are relatives of her husband, whose name is Moshe Arye, the son of Sol Arye.  She said that they had been to each other's smachot.  They belonged to Beth Jacob (Rabbi Bogopolsky's shule).  Lisa and Moshe lived in Efrat and recently moved to Arnona (near Talpiot) in Jerusalem.