David Bezmozgis - Natasha and Other Stories

Others appealed to Zalman with dubious temptations. Word had spread. Men who had never set foot inside the synagogue pledged regular attendance if only Zalman helped their deserving relatives. Zalman should do the math. In one move he would fill two spots. Sure, they hadn’t come before, but now they would repay Zalman’s mitzvah with one of their own. It was only fair. They had nothing against Herschel, but what right did he have to the apartment? Was he Itzik’s wife? Is this the kind of world we were living in?

On Saturday morning more than twenty men appeared for the service. Almost as many women settled in behind the partition. Despite the air of sinister motivations, the room was transformed and Zalman walked through the aisles with a sense of purpose. He threw himself into the service with exceptional vigor. He sang out page numbers in Russian and Yiddish. He called the new attendees up to the Torah. Everyone made an effort at making an effort. Zalman. The new attendees. Voices battled each other for distinction. Herschel sat as usual beside my grandfather. He sang loud, his voice mingling with those of the others. The synagogue swelled with beautiful and conflicting prayer. God in His heaven was left to sort it out.

After the service Herschel followed me to my grandfather’s apartment. My grandfather brought out the checkerboard and Herschel watched as we played. He preferred chess, he said, but he had always liked that all the pieces in checkers looked the same. It appealed to his socialist sensibilities. As if there was nothing else to talk about, Herschel looked over my shoulder as I contemplated moves. He dunked crackers into his tea and hummed a vague Yiddish-sounding melody. We played one game and then another. Herschel watched as if engrossed. He applauded clever moves and clucked his tongue at my mistakes. I finally asked him what he intended to do. He said he didn’t know. What could he do? He’d lived a long life. So many things had happened. God had always watched over him. Why would He desert him now? He was on the waiting list like everyone else. Maybe his name would come up? What was the point of talking about it? You lived as you lived while you lived. Today he was drinking tea and watching checkers, why ruin a nice afternoon worrying about tomorrow?

I left Herschel with my grandfather. They were setting up the board for a game. Herschel was remembering how, so many years ago, his brother carved beautiful birch checker pieces. The Sabbath elevator arrived and I climbed aboard. The elevator descended, stopping automatically on every floor. Two floors down Zalman joined me in the elevator. He thanked me again for coming to the services. If he had more people like me, he wouldn’t have any problems. I told him I was sorry about his problems. The laws were clear, he said. The old rabbis weren’t fools. What do you need for a minyan? Ten Jewish men. The elevator stopped on his floor. Zalman stepped out. He had more to say. I followed him to his apartment and told him I wanted to know what he would do with Herschel.

Zalman looked up and down the hall to make sure we were alone. His eyes shone with intensity. Let me tell you, I am not a stupid man. I have my own opinions, but I am in charge of the synagogue. Do you think I liked the business with Itzik and Herschel? You shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, but Itzik was a difficult man. And there are people who say they know very well why Herschel has no children. But for two years they came. I never said a word. Because my job is to have ten Jewish men. Good, bad, it doesn’t matter. Ten Jewish men. Only God can judge good from bad. Here the only question is Jew or not. And now I am asked by people here who never stepped into a synagogue to do them a favor. They all have friends, relatives who need an apartment. Each and every one a good Jew. Promises left and right about how they will come to synagogue. I’ve heard these promises before. And they say, With so many good Jews who need apartments, why should Herschel be allowed to stay? This is not my concern. My concern is ten Jewish men. If you want ten Jewish saints, good luck. You want to know what will happen to Herschel? This. They should know I don’t put a Jew who comes to synagogue in the street. Homosexuals, murderers, liars, and thieves — I take them all. Without them we would never have a minyan.

Leonard Michaels (1933–2003), Wyatt Mason, Hannah Young

About the author

Author Biography

Interview

About the book

Natasha and Other Stories: a history

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Recommended by David Bezmozgis

Author Biography

DAVID BEZMOZGIS was born in Riga, Latvia, in the former USSR. He immigrated to Toronto with his parents in 1980. He holds a BA in English Literature from McGill University and an MFA in Production from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinema-Television. David currently makes his home in Toronto, where he works as a writer and filmmaker. His written work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, Zoetrope, The New York Times Magazine, Details, The Walrus, and other publications. His most recent documentary, The Genuine Article: The First Trial, about the recruitment of law students to Toronto’s Bay Street, aired nationally in Canada. His first documentary, LA Mohel, about the lives of three ritual Jewish circumcisers in Los Angeles, played at film festivals worldwide as well as on PBS in Los Angeles. David Bezmozgis is a recipient of grants from the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts. He is a John Simon Guggenheim Fellow for 2005 and works as an instructor at the Humber Summer Writing Workshop. He is also serving as a jury member for the Hot Docs Documentary Festival in 2005. Aside from the many awards given to Natasha, David Bezmozgis has also received the 1996 Lionel Shapiro Award in Creative Writing and the 1995 Clark Lewis Award for Dramatic Writing, both from McGill University.

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Publication History

Books:

Natasha and Other Stories

HarperCollins, 2004

Plays:

“The Last Waltz: An Inheritance”

Montreal Playwrights’ Workshop

Montreal: December 1996

McGill Drama Festival

Montreal: March 1995

Films:

Genuine Article: The First Trial

Feature Documentary

Documenatry Channel, 2003

The Diamond Nose

Narrative (15 min.)

Los Angeles, 2001

LA Mohel

Documentary (25 min.)

Los Angeles, 1999

Is this a good time to speak?

I suppose so.

Are you sure? It sounds as if I might be inconveniencing you.

What does it matter? I agreed to do this.

If another time would be better I could call back.

No, no, now is fine.

If you’re sure.

Yes. We can talk now. It will come out the same regardless of when we do it.

Alright. To be honest, I sort of expected this. I’ve read that you do not like interviews.

What’s to like about them?

Some writers enjoy them. They enjoy the opportunity to discuss their work. They also appreciate the attention. I don’t have to tell you how many books are published each year.

You don’t have to, but why don’t you?

Alright. Thousands of books. Hundreds of thousands.