Menachem Weiss, a “special” teen with CP, reports every week to Merkaz Ha’inyanim on an angle of life that he alone can talk about
Experiences from the Beginning of the Year
Shalom dear readers!
I already wrote last week about how they divided our group into two classes and that our class has a new counselor named David. Some new boys came in, among them one boy I know from our Ezer Mizion Matan Club for CP young adults. It was nice seeing him. Any friendship made at Ezer Mizion is always deep and lasting.
We start the day with tefillah, as usual, and afterwards, we go down for breakfast. After we eat, there is a Gemara shiur on Masechet Kiddushin, and I really enjoy the shiur because I love to learn. The counselor explains everything very clearly and thoroughly, so it’s not hard to understand. After the shiur, I turn on my personal computer so that it will be easier for me to communicate with the counselor. He doesn’t understand my speech so well yet and I can’t remain without a way to talk to him. The computer stays on until about 12 noon, when we stop for recess. I’m afraid to leave it on unattended in the classroom. After the shiur, we begin our work, which is different each time. Sometimes I am able to do the job, but sometimes it requires using the hands in a way that I can’t manage so well, and then I give up and am a little bored. That’s when I start to daydream about the next Ezer Mizion event.
At recess, they give us fruit and then, after the break, we go back to work until lunchtime. Every day we get something different to eat, and I usually like what they serve. After the meal, we go up to the beit knesset for Tefillat Minchah. Afterwards, we have a class in current events and they tell us interesting things from the news. That class is given by Rabbi Fried, who was our counselor last year. I like him very much and I also enjoy the class.
These days, we also learn the laws of Elul and Rosh Hashanah. Last year, I used to go home right after lunch; I didn’t stay for the last shiur. This year I decided to try staying on, and I must say that I really enjoy this class. We go home at 3:00. I have a bit of a problem on the days when I have to go to the Ezer Mizion Matan club, because I hardly have a chance to catch my breath, when the Ezer Mizion ambulance comes to pick me up. It is really tiring, but I won’t give it up – I continue going to the club too. Ezer Mizion events are not something I would even dream of giving up. I had the same sort of situation when I was in Jerusalem, and then too, I would not give up on either one. I managed to get in both things together.
This week we had our first party of the year. Our regular keyboard player from last year came, Simcha Schlesinger, along with the singer I really like – Roly Dickman. The day beforehand, his wife had a baby boy and he shared his joy with us. I didn’t have a chance to congratulate him personally. I am taking advantage of this opportunity to wish him “Mazel Tov” in this column. May you have lots of nachat and continue to come and give us a good time!
The Ezer Mizion Matan Club activities also started and there too, we returned to our regular routine. They told us that next week, we will go for a boat ride from the Herzliya Marina, but I don’t think I’ll participate this year. All you readers know me by now. I get nervous before everything that’s a little off my routine. I think I’ll pass this year, but maybe I’ll change my mind the last minute. We’ll wait and see!
Until next time,
Menachem Weiss
