“My school work became more and more difficult for me. Nobody listened to me at school or at home. I gave up trying to do my homework and closed out everything but stolen outings to join my friends at the stage door. I got terrible grades, but still I found no way to study. I could not seem to learn anything from a book. I was expelled from school.

“To make matters worse, my father constantly yelled at me and then he would end up beating me. Finally, I remember my father screamed, ‘You cannot spend your days at home anymore. You are fourteen and a half years old and it is time you start working. I will find you work as a furrier or a goldsmith apprentice, whichever allows you time off for the Sabbath.’ When he could get no response from me, he took his cane and beat me until it broke.”