Before traveling I always do what some might consider extensive research regarding minyanim. My research includes identifying local synagogues and minyanim, checking times of services, and downloading driving directions. I go so far as to enter the address in WAZE before I leave so that I do not have an issue early in the morning when I need to drive to the minyan.

My one day trip Denver was no different. I decided to daven shachris at a Chabad minyan which started 15 minutes earlier than other shuls and was closer to where I was staying and working. Chabad says two extra kaddish at the end of davening which was also an important consideration since I knew that I would not be able to daven mincha/maariv with a minyan or to recite kaddish at mincha/maariv given flight schedules.

This morning I left my hotel at 5:45 am for what according to WAZE was a 17 minutes drive; plenty of time to make the 6:30 am minyan. WAZE delivered me on schedule to the address. There was only one problem. It was pitch dark and I could not find the minyan. This Chabad “shul” must be a new outpost and is obviously housed in some other facility with no signage on the outside. I could not find it.

A bit of panic set in.

I looked at my watch and determined that I might have enough time to make a 6:45 am minyan in another neighborhood. I searched Go Daven, got the name and address of another Denver shul, input the address into my GPS and set off for that shul. When I arrived at the address once again I was unable to locate the shul. OMG! Was I really going to miss shachris? Was I really not going to be able to say kaddish at all today?

Then, luckily, I realized that I had passed along the route a Chabad shul with an illuminated sign. I recalled the name – Beis Menachem. I input the name into WAZE, drove to Beis Menachem, and arrived just in time for shachris. The stress of possibly missing kaddish was immediately replaced by the relief of knowing that I would be able to say kaddish.