יום ראשון, ה׳ אב תשפ״וSunday, July 19, 2026
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The story line struck a chord because I’ve known several couples who dated when very young and ended the shidduch (or were advised to end it), then married that very same person years later when the match was proposed again.
Zahava and Rikki now didn’t live so far from each other in Lawrence, but they never spoke.
Shiffy marveled at the way Chani was so easygoing about staying in the same house with her brother- and sister-in-law, even if that house was huge.
Now Velvel was speechless. Yerucham and Rikki? Yerucham was supposed to marry Zahava! Yerucham knew she wanted to date him! How did that even happen?
It was just so, so many parties, and so much anguish and planning, even with Mindy and Mrs. Rosner’s help and her own talents for party planning. If only her mother had been there to take over the burden with her quiet competence and cheerful nature!
But—are you sure Effi is the kind of man you’re looking for? Chani could hear that Shulamis was having a hard time shifting gears, after pinning all her hopes on Yerucham.
“No, not to just any guy,” Mindy said. “He’d be upset if you found someone he didn’t think was on your level. But Effi is a millionaire and a nice guy! He can show him off to all his friends with pride! My husband will look like an underachiever in comparison.”
It was so depressing to watch Chani go out on a date when she hadn’t had one herself in way too long.
Vevel almost dropped his highball glass. Since when did his mousy Chani get to pick and choose among high-profile shidduchim?
It now occurred to him that he had not exactly come equipped with a dating wardrobe (oops). Well, how was he supposed to know?
After a few minutes that felt like an hour, Effi returned bearing a tray with not only the coffees but the plain glazed donuts she’d requested and a chocolate-peanut butter brownie. It was exactly the same fare they’d eaten eight years ago when they’d gone on a date in Lakewood!
Effi called that he needed a few more minutes, so Ralph and Chani chatted about Beyda and Lieba as he wrapped up whatever he was working on. Finally, Effi approached them, and Chani rose and nodded self-consciously as the two of them said goodbye.
Chani suddenly realized that Effi was also in the bakery! Her heart gave a lurch as she spied him sitting off in a corner with Ralph and the Krausses, hunched over a laptop working on something.
Mrs. Moskowitz surveyed Chani with admiration. You chose your profession well!” she exclaimed, putting an arm around her and giving her a little hug. “You have such insight into people!
Wow! To what do we owe this unexpected pleasure? Chani asked. She was very happy to see her preferred sister, if confused by her sudden appearance... What had possessed them to suddenly show up on a Sunday afternoon.
He was a total fair-weather friend! When my husband began to have business problems, Yerucham didn’t come forward to help. I tried to ask him for help—I did it behind my husband’s back, because I didn’t want Benjy to be embarrassed—but he never responded.
To her surprise, the Rebbetzin smiled at her warmly. You are very nice to put your sister before yourself, she said. You are both very good girls. May Hashem send you the right zivug bekarov
The Rebbetzin eyed him skeptically. But maybe some of your friends have money? she asked shrewdly. Or maybe you can think of a way to get some people with money together to have one of those—what do you call them—parlor meetings?
Now her phone was actually ringing, which was an even better excuse to ignore her reading. It was Mindy. She must be bored and in need of a chat, Chani thought.
Mindy caught her breath. She knew this boy! He was…what was his name again? Yes, he was that guy who had been engaged to Ralph Harari’s sister…Beyda! That was it! Ezra Beyda! The one whose kallah had died so tragically in an accident right before their wedding. The one who had raved about Chani!
Leah’s not old. She’s 29, Chani said, her cheeks reddening. It’s not her fault her husband died and didn’t leave her with money. She noticed Rikki slinking discreetly back towards the kitchen. Rikki had apparently chosen that moment to avoid any comparisons with present company, as Rikki was likewise thirtyish, unmarried, and unmoneyed beyond her alimony payments.
I don’t know why Hashem put me in this position, but He surely has a reason, so my job is just to make the best of it. It could be a lot worse, you know.
Although truth be told, Velvel had mixed feelings about the idea of Zahava getting married. He wasn’t sure how he’d survive if Zahava left his home; he was way too used to her arranging their home and their lives.
Lakewood has all the stores we have in Brooklyn, and more! Zahava gushed. And there’s parking everywhere you go—it’s awesome! I never once had to circle to find a spot!
It was also therapeutic for Rikki to confide in Zahava during their long hours lying on lounge chairs by the pool, justifying her divorce by laying out the full panoply of her ex’s indiscretions and faults.
They chit-chatted for a little while, speculating on Hennie’s shidduch while carefully avoiding the subject of Effi.
Over salads and pasta in a sleek, dimly lit space, Shulamis shared that she’d received reports from Velvel about how happy they were in the new house in Toms River. But she told Chani confidentially that she didn’t think it was so wonderful that Rikki would be with them for the whole summer.
Hennie and a friend set up a round-the-clock Tehillim chat, and Mindy, never one to miss any action, insisted on driving back and forth to Monmouth Hospital the next day and throughout most of that week during the hours her children were in day camp.
A little voice seemed to chirp in his ear: You were upset with Chani for letting her family persuade her to break off your shidduch. Now you let Avraham persuade you to date a young, immature woman, and the result was disastrous. Why didn’t you follow your gut instincts?
The hours seemed to tick by for an eternity, as the afternoon light began to soften through the windows of the hospital. They paced, they spoke a little, and they prayed, sometimes with tears.
Chani tried to view this dispassionately. Why wouldn’t he date her? Lieba was a sweet, pretty girl from a good family.
Since the Moskowitzes already knew and adored him, it was no big deal to pick Lieba up. Greeting her parents was friendly and informal, not the usual farher-by-the-father type of meeting.
Chani appraised the self-righteous young woman, who herself looked rather unkempt in her baggy clothing, scuffed shoes, and unruly haircut. Was the ink even dry on her diploma? What did this young woman’s own apartment look like, that would give her the right to pass judgment?
Effi ran up to the car to greet his brother-in-law, who addressed the rest of the crowd like a royal pausing to greet the peasants from his carriage.
Chani and Mindy exchanged a glance, silently communicating, I’d get my dysfunctional family out of debt and back into their own house! But Mindy only said, I’d get a bigger house, for sure!
Just the sight of her face brought a wrenching stab of pain, a reminder of his loss. How was he supposed to act around her now? There hadn’t been time to think about it, so all he’d managed to do was nod at her. Idiot! She must think he hated her.
Mindy felt guilty enough about depriving Chani of a fun Shabbos lunch that she behaved like a model mother and hostess for the remainder of Shabbos, lavishing care on Pinny and encouraging Chani to get out and attend a class in the neighborhood given by the rebbetzin of their shul. On the whole, Chani reflected, things had worked out quite well for her.
Honestly, part of her did want to see Effi again, if only to see his face and get a sense of where his head was at. She missed him! Despite the years, she still treasured her memories of their time together.
Mindy, of course, had no idea Chani was busy struggling to process the idea that Effi Weinberg would be coming to town, wondering if he hated her and how she would react if their paths crossed.
Mindy’s hours scrolling through Instagram had served as her cordon bleu education, and when motivated, she could summon enviable energy to attack large gourmet meals.
Chani resented the idea that being single meant she had nothing to do with herself all day. Unlike Mindy, she had a job, which had actual responsibilities.
Was he really expected to pack up all his stuff? He felt faint every time he thought about it. He had never once had to do anything more complicated than packing a suitcase for vacations or holiday hotel programs, and this only after his wife passed away.
The invitation turned out to be a stroke of genius for all concerned. Effi led the team in producing a real estate app so sleek and user-friendly it went viral, making them all rich beyond their wildest dreams—so rich, in fact, that now he and Avraham were going to spend a year in New York just to set up an East Coast branch.
She ignored her gut and backed off, trusting implicitly that the two most important adults in her life wanted only the best for her. Too young, too unsure of herself, she let them convince her they knew better than her what she needed.
Chani was the first in the family to acknowledge the wisdom of renting out their home, and was more willing than the others to bite the bullet and do whatever was necessary to keep them afloat.
Family accountant Izzy had the idea that the Elmans should move to a smaller place and rent out their house to catch up on their debts.
But that’s just it! he said excitedly. If Velvel can’t change his habits in Brooklyn, let him leave Brooklyn! Listen to me! He should rent out his house and live somewhere else for a while!
How she longed to move on in her life already! Sure, by living at home she saved money, and she felt some obligation to stay there to keep her father and sister company. But since the three of them weren’t on the same wavelength, communication remained superficial at best.
The magic solution finally came to her, as she grabbed the Bounty and wiped spicy onion dip and guacamole off the floor. Chani, that’s who she’d call!
Zahava’s private, locked-up grief and frustration seemed to keep her from reaching out to her sisters, who might have provided support.
Recap from last week: Velvel and his daughter Zahava decide to ask their neighbor, Mrs. Shulamis Rosner, for advice about their huge debts.
Now if only Dina had been alive… an audible sigh escaped, and he glanced around to make sure Zahava hadn’t heard. Of all the people in this world, why Hashem had to pick his lovely, gentle wife to die young was a mystery to him.
It was like she had an expiration date stamped on her forehead. Ouch! The very idea sent another stab of pain straight across her temples.
I realized how many women in my shoes craved both validation and guidance.
July 17, 2026 
