I saw the obituary of former Milwaukeean Rabbi Meir Tzvi Schuster in the March Chronicle. It brought back memories.
I was studying on the Junior Year Abroad program at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1973-74 and went to the Western Wall one Shabbat evening. Out of the blue this (then) young Chasidic-looking man approached and said, “Hey, want to come to the yeshiva sometime for a meal?”
I didn’t know him from Adam, had no interest and was looking to get away ASAP. After some superficial conversation, I was able to escape.
Three or four weeks later one evening, I’m in my university dorm kitchen area making a quick meal, and this same man approaches me again with the same invitation. I have no idea how he found me, only remembering that I told him I studied at Hebrew U, but not where I lived.
I relented and agreed to come that Shabbat for dinner. To be safe, I brought a friend along.
I did not accept his invitation to study there, and after a relatively nice long evening of food, singing, conversation and various blessings, I left and never went back.
However, my friend accepted the offer, began studying there, eventually dropped out of the program he came with, ended up a full-time yeshiva student and became an observant Jew.
Six years later, I’m back in Israel staffing my first Federation Young Leadership Mission. I took the group to the Wall before Shabbat began.
I see the same rabbi, a bit grayer, still energetically inviting young men to his yeshiva. I approached him, shared our history and told him of my Jewish communal professional work.
He didn’t seem much interested and quickly moved on. Perhaps he could tell that there was no chance I’d be interested in studying.
When I moved to Milwaukee, I learned his roots were here.
It was fun bringing back these 40-year-old memories. May his memory be a blessing.
Richard Meyer is the former executive vice president of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.
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