I worked for the JEC/Bruriah educational school system for 53 years. That is probably longer than anyone other than members of the Teitz family. My experiences with both Rabbi P.M. and Rabbi E.M. Teitz were numerous, diversified and exhilarating. How each of them handled the myriad challenges they faced elicited a variety of emotions. But there was one that was personal and transformative. It happened more than 50 years ago.
Relatively early in my career, I decided to apply for the William Robertson Coe fellowship in American studies. This graduate course was offered at SUNY Stony Brook during the summer to only 12 students in the country. This course was five different full courses from five different professors in five weeks. Vigorous and intense, I had to live at Stony Brook (on Long Island). Each week, I had to submit evidence to each of the professors that I could demonstrate a proficiency in each of five different subject areas ranging from ecology to Supreme Court decisions on civil rights. I was only permitted to go home on weekends. When I was accepted, I could not believe what was to happen next.
Almost as soon as I was accepted into the program at Stony Brook, my acceptance was rescinded. It seems as though the decision committee on my selection was cautioned by a committee member that this program would be too difficult to handle for an Orthodox Jew. Issues, kosher food in particular, rigorous demands on my time, would make it too much for me. In essence, I was told to stay home that summer.
I was more than shocked. I immediately went to Rabbi E.M. Teitz and revealed what had happened. Rabbi Teitz picked up the phone and called the director of the Coe Foundation. When Rabbi Teitz got on the phone, he made it clear that we Jews have somehow survived all kinds of situations over a long period of time and assured them that I could survive this one. It worked.
There is a postscript to this story. At the end of the story, I survived the course. A festive dinner was held for the participants.
My wife and I were served a kosher Empire chicken with plastic forks. They had given me kosher meals throughout. Seated at the table with me and my wife at the dinner was the man who first objected to my acceptance in the program. He was Jewish.
