Finding Home (Again)
Posted on June 14, 2012 by Andrew Lustig
Tags: alumni, angels, anxiety, creative writing, Eish Kodesh / Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira, humor, Jerusalem, Jewish Identity, kippah / yarmulke, life after Pardes, New York, poems / poetry, transition
I’m back in New York
Which is kind of depressing.
I wish I wasn’t…
But I’m kind of stressing.
People dress too nice.
They make fun of my hair.
And when I wear my Moshiach flag
Well… people stare.
People here don’t know me.
Like my Pardes friends do.
They just see my kepah.
And say, “Hey, look! a Jew!”
I feel so small in Gallut.
I don’t want to stay.
I went off the derech!
And got pulled over today.
I said “Officer, I’m famous.”
He said, “I don’t know who you are.”
“Anti-semite” I responded.
“I’m a &*#%$!@ youtube star.”
He cuffed me
And I yelled, “Hey, man let go!”
“You have no control!
The Pisetzner says so.”
“Who?” he asked.
“Um… uh… he’s my… attorney.”
He responded, “This sounds like a crazy…
Jewish journey.”
“I myself am Jewish.
And I am going to choose
To let you off
Because I look out for fellow Jews.”
And at that the sky opened.
And angels started singing.
I heard a beautiful sound.
That turned out to be my cell phone ringing.
It was my good friend calling.
He said, “Wanna meet up for a drink?”
And I realized life is good here too…
I’m happy! I think…
