Scranton, PA
I look for Jews when we travel. Who knows why.
Even in Scranton, I looked up Jews:
when did they come, how many there are.
Three thousand Jews in Scranton now.
Seventy Seven thousand people here.
Many synagogues. Half
are Orthodox. Even some Hasidim.
Two signs of note:
Plotkins Shoe Outlet (Jews and Shoes)
and, at Abe’s Kosher deli where we had lunch
(pastrami sandwich not equivalent to pastrami queen
on West 72nd Street though Cal said the ruggelech
were pretty good) my favorite Scranton words:
Tongue: market value.
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Esther, I too do what is call "YID SPOTTING" some of us are gifted with instinctive ancestral antennas. my mother used to say" I can just tell the same way I can tell you which doctor did each persons nose job".she said she could tell you if someone was. jewish from behind. many of us walk as though we might have to run @ any moment, she referred to that as a "nomadic tuchus" your pastrami illustration looks so good, one glance and I now have heartburn. MAALOX!-OY!-xxx
Hi Esther... perhaps my first hint that I was destined to become a Jew someday was my fascination with the pickle barrel at Glick’s Deli in Ansonia... My discovery of Tongue on Rye w horseradish soon followed. 😍
Heidi and I also find ourselves “looking for.Jews” and anything Jewish as we travel. Even hunted down ancient synagogues in Shanghai and Barcelona.
As always, love your poems ❤️