It was a relatively pleasant Yom Kipor. I didn't fast. I didn't even abstain from most of my daily life, and yet the day was still infused with the spirit of the holiday.

Rose and I went to Kol Nidre last night. Getting there was not easy. She lay around and moaned, then couldn't find her skirt, then complained about everything until we got there and settled in. Her favorite part was watching the cellist play kol nidre. I liked the whole thing, especially when she asked: what is slander and xenophobia? For those of you unfamiliar with the service, you go through an alphabet of sins which leads to some fascinating word choices.

David and I went to kid's services today. We once again made the deal that he could wear shorts and a t-shirt as long as he came cheerfully. He certainly wasn't cheerful, but he wasn't a mess. He even asked: If God is all around us with no body, how did he hand us the Torah? which means he was actually on topic.

In both cases I saw a lot of people I knew, even some I know well enough to chat with. I know I'm not doing enough work to make this synagogue a community for me, so I appreciate the gift when it does.