“Art is born of humiliation.” World Within World, W.H. Auden (1951)

Age 17, I moved from Washington Heights in Manhattan to Kew Gardens, Queens.

It was an entirely new world in many ways, including my synagogue.

Although located in “Frankfurt on the Hudson” Heights, Washington Heights Congregation was Polish. Ironically, Kew Gardens Synagogue, Adath Yeshurun, was an offshoot of the famed Heights German Breuers Shul.

Polish and German Shuls have different traditions.

Our first Shabbat there, my father received an Aliya. I was given Hagba [lifting the Torah.]

In Washington Heights Congregation, pre-marriage, you neither perform  Hagba, nor wear a Tallit. Accordingly, I strode to the Bima without one.

Very German Reverend Hirsch took one look, uttered “Ach!”, handing me one. Now anxious, I donned it upside down, eliciting “Ach!” #2.

My anxiety was contagious. He prophylactically separated the wooden........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)