I've just returned from spending Pesach in Canada. Although the trip was made necessary due to unfortunate circumstances, I do want to say a few words in praise of chutz la'aretz.

We davened there in a very special minyan that serves as a shining example of what I sorely miss here in My Little Town (and, for that matter, in My Little Country).

This minyan includes aging Holocaust survivors, students in dreadlocks, very accomplished professionals of various sorts, chassidishers and yeshivishers, BTs and FFBs. There is no sign of hierarchy and all seem to genuinely love and respect each other. The davening itself, while too long for my taste, includes moments of authentically spontaneous singing and dancing of a Carlebachian sort.

The Rav (may he have a refuah sheleimah) darshens brilliantly about broad issues of equal interest to the most and least knowledgable members of the kehillah. These are not the platitudes of am ha'aratzim, nor the vertlich or halachic tidbits of small-minded so-called rabbanim. These are sweeping drashos informed by complete mastery of all relevant halachah and aggadah and animated by a sense of humor and purpose.

We could use some of that good stuff around these parts.