It was the proverbial match made in Heaven for both of those professional educators. The principal was in over his head with his myriad responsibilities running such a large school, servicing preschool through 12th grade. My husband loved to tailor-make curriculum focusing on various Judaic subjects and earmarked for each of multiple grade levels. Voila! Within virtually no time, the harried headmaster had found an invaluable new friend and colleague, and my husband had discovered an additional source of much-needed income (i.e. more manna from Heaven).
He signed a two-year contract and was, baruch Hashem, able to work remotely for most of that time, traveling to that distant educational institution only periodically to oversee implementation of his program and provide teacher training. It was a win-win situation for everyone involved, and the two years seamlessly evolved into four.
In the meantime, two other campuses in another far-flung region had likewise heard of my husband’s expertise in curriculum development, and soon decided to hire him as well.
On the home front, just over a year after we had moved, he was approached by a local shul and prevailed upon to become their rav. While he eventually acquiesced to fill the position temporarily, four years later he is, baruch Hashem, still their beloved rabbi, delivering shiurim, meeting with congregants, and effectively sharing his wisdom and knowledge with his kehilah.
Despite feeling accomplished and valued both at home and abroad, he was being pulled in so many directions and juggling multiple varied responsibilities, including occasionally doing some private tutoring on the side. He had neither the desire nor the inclination to rest on his laurels, and pitifully little time to rest at all.
What he did have was a passionate dream that thoroughly consumed his imagination. After helping found and lead two vastly different yeshivot during our earlier life in the Promised Land, he now experienced a burning desire to open a third, infinitely more unique institution.
To be sure, this venture was far from a generator of additional manna; on the contrary, it was a tremendous drain of our time, resources and sanity. But, with our amazing son and his terrific group of friends forming the fledgling class, my indomitable husband’s latest project was, baruch Hashem, miraculously up and running. It has since more than quadrupled in size, and is, bli ayin hara, well on its way to revolutionizing the yeshiva world, and perhaps even the entire country.
On a more personal and infinitely more modest level, I am incredibly grateful that, after too many years spent at mediocre, often stressful, professions I am, baruch Hashem, able to contribute a bit of my own supplementary manna doing something I truly enjoy and (most days) actually love.
All of this comprises our precious Heaven-sent manna, and, baruch Hashem, we continue to humbly appreciate each day’s blessing anew. And although, like many if not most of our neighbors, we never quite manage to finish the month, we do not despair. Instead we gratefully await the following day’s benevolent offering from on High, and revel in our good fortune that we are zocheh to fulfill so many of our fondest dreams and aspirations in this, the holiest place on earth.