Finally getting his just deserts (not to mention desserts)--my husband is honored by our synagogue

Last night, our synagogue honored my husband for his many years of community service. He's been treasurer of our shul for so many years that we're both lost track of how many (I thought it was nine years, but he thinks it's eleven), head of the Ritual Committee, the poor guy who gives out honors in shul on Shabbat (Sabbath) and holidays, and, since he's one of less than a handful of congregants who can do a haftarah without prior notice (I'm not among that illustrious number), the most frequent haftarah chanter in the congregation. He's also the radically-underpaid accountant for the local Jewish social services agency, as well as the volunteer "quartermaster" (treasurer) for the local Jewish War Veterans post ( having served stateside in the Payroll Office during the Vietnam War). The shul honored him with a concert of religious and secular Jewish music and "general" music including Broadway tunes, arias, and art songs, and gave him a beautiful Coach wallet . Then all of us got to stuff ourselves with delicious cakes and pastries. It was delightful. Not to mention long overdue.

The only sour note of the evening was the absence of our rabbi, as usual. (See Wedmesday the Rabbi Slept Late, round 2, which includes a link to round 1--maybe I should call this round "Thursday the Rabbi Went to Bed Early.") Just as he didn't show up for the siyyum bechorim or the annual Yom HaShoa commemoration, he didn't show up when a member of his own synagogue's board was honored. If he had a problem with kol isha, the prohibition observed by many Orthodox Jews against a man listening to a woman sing, he could have written a one-sentence note saying that he was sorry that he wouldn't be able to attend the concert but wanted to congratulate my husband on being honored by the congregation. You would think that, after so many years of studying Talmud, he would understand the concept of derech eretz, common human decency and courtesy. I wasn't kidding when I said that this man has nothing but contempt for his own congregation.

Well, enough of that. I refuse to let that man ruin the fun. I'm tickled pink to see the Punster finally get the recognition that he so richly deserves.