Wiggling Bubbahs

Several years ago I had the opportunity to go overseas to Russia to participate in a summer study abroad program. I enjoyed the experience so much that I went back for a second time the next year. One Saturday morning in June my room mate decided that she wanted to go with me to Shabbat morning services. Merry – a professed southern Episcopalian – had never been to a Jewish service and knew nothing about the rituals in a synagogue. In Europe there is only Orthodox services – no Conservative or Reform congregations. This means that the women sit separately from the men, in this synagogue it was a balcony with the men below closer to the Torah scrolls and so forth.

As the men pray they rock back and forth called divining. This is so that Hashem can see them praying. Upon seeing this below her Merry says to me, “Them bubbahs down yonder are wiggling!” To Merry all men are bubbahs. I couldn’t help but to break out laughing. The hard part was keeping it quiet enough that I would not disturb the men below us.

Merry for various reasons never went to services with me again, but she frequently would inquire about thee “bubbahs” once I returned home. I have not seen or heard from Merry since my return from Russia, but that story is a nice comical story to remember her by and to get a good chuckle every now and then.