A story from the Moshav

Shira's father, R' Dovid Hertzberg z'l wrote the following story in the second chapter of his joke book. The joke book is a collection of jokes, stories, and recollections from R' Shlomo Carlebach, his followers and friends, otherwise known as the chevrah... Sometimes a little disjointed, sometimes nonsensical, they are always wonderful. Reading through the joke book makes you laugh, smile and cry. The stories run the gamut of emotion, you can always find a deeper or hidden meaning in them. Sometimes a simple story or a joke which has a punch line which you had to be there for, brings back something. I picture R' Dovid and R' Shlomo sitting with a group of friends and laughing into the night. I never had the pleasure of meeting Shira's abba, but through his stories, I hope to learn a little about who he was, the importance of being happy, and enjoying a good joke.

From the joke book, chapter 2, Dovidl's Jokes.

It was Friday night at the Moshav, and the Rebbe was going strong. We were all in the synogogue that was exquisitely painted by the famed artist Reb Yitschak ben Yehuda. He and his wife Rivka had been on the Moshav for some twenty years, ever since the school bus they were living in broke down. Sitting in this beautiful Shul (synogogue) with Reb Shlomo was truly a taste of the Garden of Eden. The teaching and the prayers went on for hours, and It was almost midnight by the time we got to 'Shalom Aleichem,' welcoming in the Shabbos angels. It seems the angels had a worthwhile wait as Reb Shlomo sang slowly and melodiously, swaying back and forth with his eyes toward heaven.

The holy Kiddush wine was flowing freely but our Rebbe gently taught us that the whole world drank in order to forget, but we Yidden drink wine to remember. The main thing, he said was that, G-d forbid, a person should never get drunk on Shabbos; but then he reminded us that we have to be drunk from Shabbos. So, too, we drink wine under the wedding canopy to remind ourselves that we should be drunk with love for each other. We ate, drank and sang for hours, and I don't remember anyone getting drunk. But we were certainly flying high that Shabbos. By the time we stood in front of Reb Shlomo's house on the Moshav I couldn't tell anymore what I was drunk from, but it seemed like an appropriate moment to tell one of my favorite jokes. I'd heard it from my good friend Reb. Fred.

Once there was a guy who went into a bar and ordered two scotches on the rocks. The bartender brought him a double scotch on the rocks. The guy started complaining saying, 'I ordered two single shots, not one double shot.' The bartender took back the double scotch, muttered something under his breath and brought back two single shots. They guy drank the first one and then crank the second one, saying 'cheers!' Now this went on for a month, and the bartender finally said to himself, 'I can't take it anymore. I have to ask this guy what's going on.' So the next night he said to the guy, "Hey Buddy, I know it's none of my business but could you tell me why you have to drink two single scotches everyday at the exact same time, five o'clock?" The guy started getting nostalgic. "Well, Joe, I'll tell you the truth. I have a buddy I served with in the army in Vietnam, and when we got out of Nam, he joined the Navy. We swore to each other that every day at five PM, wherever we were, we would both drink two scotches on the rocks and say 'cheers'; I do it twice, once for him and once for me. And he says 'cheers' twice, once for me and once for him. And that's the reason." After the guy left the bar, Joe the bartender turned to his regular customers, and with a tear in his eye he told of this guy's story to everybody. "Can you imagine? His buddy is out in the middle of the sea and he's here and the both of them are always connected, toasting each other and themselves. That's just so touching." By this time just about everyone at the bar was crying. Now this two-drink ritual continued for another six months until one fateful day the guy came into the bar at 5:00 and ordered one single shot of scotch on the rocks. Joe the bartender began trembling and was afraid to ask what happened to his buddy in the Navy. But the regulars kept signalling to Joe to ask him.

Finally, with trepidation, Joe asked: "Hey, listen, I don't mean to be nosy but I noticed you only ordered one drink. Is your buddy OK?" "Oh yeah," the guy answered, "he's as fine as can be." "Well then," Joe continued, "what's going on? How come you only ordered one drink?" "Oh," said the guy, "that's because I stopped drinking!"

Shlomo laughed hysterically and then said, "Dovid'l, that's a great joke. Where did you hear if?" I said, "where else Reb Shlomo? At the bar!"

Luciano’s Restaurant in Mevo Modiim

I have had the pleasure of working and eating many times at Luciano’s Restaurant these past few months. There is always something interesting happening at the restaurant; I have hundreds of funny stories, there is never a dull moment. People come for the atmosphere, the food, and to feel a connection with R’ Shlomo. For many people the restaurant is the epitome of the Moshav.

During the recent festival, I was working in the restaurant for over a dozen hours. The pizzas were a blur, food going out as fast as we could put it into the oven. People were lined up to get a slice, and everyone really enjoyed themselves. Despite the craziness of the crowds, everyone commented how nice it was to be there. It’s just one of those places that feels like coming home, no matter how many guests you have over. One customer walked in and asked me for a Carlebach and a slice. I stopped what I was doing and laughed.

Personally, I have been eating at the restaurant for over a decade. While I was living in Canada, it was often my first and last stop to and from the airport whenever I came to Israel for a visit. Shoshana is always there with a joke and a smile, and of course, excellent food. Shoshana is one of those people who is always b’simcha, always looking on the bright side of things. Things have stayed the same over the years, and the pizza is still great, defiantly worth coming back for again and again.

The food is one of the best aspects of the restaurant. Everything is made from scratch using only olive oil and fresh ingredients. You can really taste the difference in the pizza, pasta and salads.

On those long Summer nights, there is nothing like sitting in the garden outside the restaurant in the glow of the candle light, spending time with friends. The restaurant has been the setting for many a first date; it’s a great place to meet your soul mate. Just like Cheers, it’s nice to go somewhere where everyone knows your name.