Moshe rose as Ruthie approached the table. Ruthie gave Moshe her obligatory hug and kiss on his lips. Moshe felt no electricity but enjoyed the warm rush of human contact. He remembered when her kisses were longer, wetter, and caused electrical current to flash throughout his body. When he was alone, he often wondered, “Does Ruthie feel the same electrical charge?” But he never had the courage to ask her for he feared she’d say, “No.”
Now Moshe pulled out the restaurant’s black wrought iron chair for her. Ruthie smiled, thanked him, and sat down.
Ruthie wore a pastel white cotton blouse, a yellow skirt splattered with large pink polka dots and pair of leather sandals she had bought in Safed.
Moshe thought, “She looks marvelous. She could be a model. I have known this cutie for over 10 years. I love her beautiful smile, her shapely figure and her gift of gab. I’m one lucky son of a bitch to have her in my life.”
Ruthie loved to talk and Moshe loved to listen.
So once a week they met at the same Tel Aviv cafe. And over coffee and toasted sesame bagels, they shared their loves and their lives.
The out of nowhere Ruthie asked, “Moshe, have you ever watched the i-Shiva commercial on YouTube?”
Staring into Ruthie’s blue eyes, Moshe replied, “Nope, I never even heard of it.”
“Well, you gotta watch it. I laughed so hard, I almost peed in my pants.”
“With an I-almost-peed-in-my-pants review, of course I’ll watch it.”
” It’s so good, I watched it twice. It’s so f’ing creative and funny. The cast nails it. It’s so well-written and directed. Hollywood couldn’t write a better dialogue. It’s so clever, it makes ya proud to be a Jew.”
Moshe nibbled on the edge of his bagel, then dipped it into his hot coffee.
Ruthie threw him a look of you’re so uncouth.
Moshe smiled and wondered, “How many times had he seen that look? Too many to count.”
“Well anything that makes you proud to be Jewish has got to be great.” Moshe said.
“In eight years, this three minute video got over 622,000 views and Moshe, you say, you’ve never seen it? ”
“Ruthie, I promise you, I’ve never seen any comedy shiva videos. I didn’t even know they existed. It’s kind of an oxymoron.”
“Well Moshe, I googled the I-shiva app and read this beautiful tribute by blogger, Gail Rubin to the creator of the commercial:
Congratulations to Nathan Firer, the creator of this video. In the description of the video he wrote, “As a Jew, I made this i-Shiva video in honor of my father, Noah Firer, the mensch of mensches who lost a battle with cancer last year. This video is the first comical thought I had during the infinite darkness following his death. I-shiva is not meant to offend or disrespect, but to uphold the longstanding Jewish tradition of turning tragedy into comedy.
Well Ruthie, those are two great Jewish traditions— honoring your parents and turning tragedy into comedy.
And based upon your review of i-Shiva video, I’m dying to see it.
As she rose, Ruthie crinkled her blue eyes at me, let out a muffled laugh and threw me a kiss.
“Sorry Hon, I’m off to a garden party. She you next week. Same time. Same place.”
