The Jewish man Next to me

The guy across the row on my flight.

The man next to me on the sleepy flight from Newark to London was a study in contradictions. He was clearly devout, religious. Stern and serious. And uninterested in having any conversation with me. I asked him what he was reading and he said to me, "None of your business."

       Ah yes, that's my people!!

       He read from a homemade Bible of sorts – a variety of pages in English and Hebrew which appeared to be his favorite passages of the Torah and the Talmud. I found myself envious.

       He was served his food first, because he had ordered the kosher variety. It looked bland.

       I sensed a certain disdain for the rest of us on the plane, as if we are the unclean or pagan. I wanted to tell him, “Hey, I’m Jewish too. I’m one of you.” But I just did not sense that would impress him much!