Uncle Moishe was talking to his brother Bennie, who's son Hymie owns a supermarket in Brooklyn. Bennie told Unc a story about a young fellow named Nathan that was hired to work in the produce department. One day a customer asked Nathan where he could find half a head of lettuce. Nathan told the customer that they only sold whole heads of lettuce. Well the customer was insistent, so Nathan went in the back to talk to Hymie. And Nathan says to Hymie," Some shmendrick wants to buy half a head of lettuce." As he finishes he turns and the customer is standing right behind him. Thinking quickly Nathan adds, "And this gentleman wants to buy the other half". Hymie approves the deal. Uncle Moishe says to Bennie that was good thinking. Bennie says, "Wait, there's more." Later in the day Hymie tells Nathan that he was very impressed with the way he had gotten himself out of that situation earlier. And further tells Nathan that he likes employees who can think on their feet. Hymie, now interested in this young man asks Nathan where he is from and Nathan replies that he is from Toronto. Hymie than asks him why he left Canada, to which Nathan replies that there were too many yentas and hockey players in Toronto. "That's quite surprising," Hymie said now looking quite angry, my wife is from Canada." To which Nathan quickly adds, "You don't say. What team did she play for?"

An Evening with Gershon Baskin

Lecture and Book Signing

Thursday, November 14

7 p.m. * Dancers' Workshop Studio One

Gershon Baskin, Ph.D., was the initiator and the person responsible for the secret back channel between Israel and the Hamas that successfully negotiated the release of Israeli abducted soldier Gilead Schalit. He was the Israeli Co-Director and founder of the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI) - a joint Israeli-Palestinian public policy think and "do"-tank located in Jerusalem.   

During the Premiership of the late Yitzhak Rabin, he served as an advisor on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process to a secret team of intelligence officers established by Mr. Rabin. Dr. Baskin was a member of the Jerusalem Experts Committee established by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office during the Final Status Negotiations in 2000-2001. He has been awarded the Histadrut Prize for Peace in 1996, the Turkish Foreign Policy Institute Peace Prize in 2004, the Tribute of Honor and Courage from the World Movement for Democracy in 2004 and the Search for Common Ground Journalist Award for Middle East Journalism. He has a regular column in theJerusalem Post. This event is sponsored by the Jackson Hole Jewish Community Center.