Moishe Abramovitz came to this country, not knowing a word of English and not owning a penny to his name. But he was determined to make good and to become a proper American. He started selling Yiddish newspapers on the street corners of the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He was energetic and he caught the eye of the owner of a news shop. Moishe became the manager of the news shop and learned how to manage this kind of business. He saved up his money and became the owner of his own news shop. He prospered and bought other news shops. Soon he purchased bookstores and before long he was the owner of a large bookstore chain. He was happy and pleased with himself. In his early days he had seen fashionably attired gentlemen enter the New York City Gentlemen’s Club and he longed for the day when his prosperity would enable him to apply for membership. That day came when Moishe Abramovitz, dressed like a gentleman, but with his head still capped by a yarmulka and his face covered with a beard, walked into the club, right up to the desk of the social secretary and said, “I vant to join dis club.” The secretary replied, “Excuse me, sir, but only gentlemen who speak English without a foreign accent may join this club.” Moishe Abramovitz uttered not one word of complaint. He said, “Tank you very much for de information.” Moishe started to take classes in English and he worked for months on his polishing pronunciation. Then he walked into the club, right up to the desk of social secretary and said, “I want to join this club. May I have an application?” The secretary asked, “What is your name?” “My name is Moses Abramovitz.” The secretary replied, “Excuse me, sir, but persons of the Mosaic persuasion are not admitted to membership in this club.” Moses Abramovitz uttered not one word of complaint. He said, “Thank you very much for the information.” Moses Abramovitz waited a few months and returned to the club, having replaced his yarmulka with a fashionable top hat and having shaved off his beard. He walked in and right up to the desk of the social secretary and said, “I want to join this club. May I have an application.” The secretary asked, “What is your name, sir?” “My name is Merlin Abercrombie.” “And what is your religious persuasion, sir?” “I am proud to say that I am a goy.”
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 12:54:03 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015