It started with one secular student whom her husband met in the Rebbe’s anteroom. It snowballed into a kiruv initiative that has touched thousands of lives.
Walking up the wooden slatted stairs to the Baum* home you smell Shabbos even if you aren’t aware of its imminent arrival. A thick chicken soup is bubbling on the stove next to a tall pot stacked with saucy ribs. On the opposite counter a large bathtub-like Crock-Pot puffs that bean-potato-meat aroma that we’ve all come to love. On the floor is a delivery from the local grocery; cases of chips sodas plastic goods and bags and bags of chocolate chips all waiting to be put to use.
It’s a regular Thursday night at the Baum home.
“I used to fret when my baalei teshuvah walked in on Thursday night” admits Leah Baum. “I wanted them to arrive an hour before Shabbos when the table was set the Shabbos clothes were donned and the house looking like we were ready to greet the Shabbos Queen with grace.”
But her company enjoyed coming precisely when the challah dough was rising. The guests wanted to be there when the pile of Costco’s best fresh fruit arrived in stunning arrays and were laid on the counter. They wanted to be part of the “Yanky did you come out of the bath yet? Shlomo it’s your turn now” cheerleading.
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