It’s pretty difficult to get all my kids to actually stand stock still for more than three seconds in complete and utter astonishment. But after checking out the place where we’d be staying (aptly named The Hyatt), my 12-year-old son broke the silence .
“We get the WHOLE room?!” (calling it a room seems inadequate, what with 12 tempur-pedic beds, our own bathrooms and more storage space and sinks than we knew what to do with)
After exploring the grounds, we prepared for sukkos. We were led into what is most certainly the biggest sukkah I have ever seen in my life, where, over the course of the next 3 days, six unforgettable seudahs were conducted. Of course, it wasn’t only good food; it was the divrei Torah, the enthusiastic singing and leibedige dancing; it was Rav Chaim Mintz’s Torah trivia contest, where we all got to see the doling out of teddy bears and Fiveish caps to those who knew the correct answers. It was the dueling Rabbis, which drew in the hundreds that were present; it was the Ask The Rabbi session, where, in a classically Oorah moment, Rav Chaim Mintz responded to the question, what had brought him to greatness.
Most of all, it was the Torah Mates, where I reached a personal milestone, learning with my Torah Mate for the first time. We hit it off, and ended up sitting with each other for the rest of Yom Tov. I hope it’s something I can keep up long term, because, as someone commented, I felt that I gained more than she did.
After a fun Motzei Shabbos activity the brotherly ruach and achdus which all felt by the end of Shabbos (as Rabbi Lichtenstein had predicted) culminated in dancing and singing, and the joyous strains of it could be heard all the way back to the bunkhouses.
Sunday dawned to breezy perfection, complete with a full, made-to-order breakfast that made me feel as though I should probably be a better mother.
A plethora of activities was pursued, from visiting the animals (which I had plenty to tell them about, thanks to the Zone website research!) to watching a couple of girls after my own heart careening down the alpine slide.
We all had an incredible time, and I can say with perfect certainty that I have never before had such a beautiful and meaningful Sukkos. Most importantly, it gave me a sense and appreciation of how much it is that we really do.
Thank you so much for inviting us!
