On the boardwalk
Occasionally I will walk to shul on shabbos on the boardwalk and take in the beautiful and now infamous ‘Jersey shore’ on a saturday morning, easily it’s most busy day. Because bikes are not allowed after 10AM the drag, from the end of Margate through the Atlantic City casino row, is a mob scene of casual bikers, joggers, runners and walkers.
For those who do not know, Atlantic City/Ventnor is a hot-bed for Jewish retirees mainly from the greater Philadelphia area. The boardwalk has quadruple the Jews on a saturday morning than all the synagogues combined. So as soon as I am off to shul I will get a parade of bagels (easily 5-10 every walk) from guys in spandex jogging with chai necklaces, a minion of bubbies powerwalking, a biker who could pass as my 4th grade rebbe, all of them basking in the shore sun and wishing me a good shabbos/shabbat shalom/ a mah nishma?.
One guy was jogging and noticed it was almost 10AM said to me, “you’re late! The synagogue started an hour ago!” smiled and went back to shukkling his iPod and kept jogging.
-seth
