The prize ceremony at the President’s house was particularly weird for me.  I didn’t know the prizewinners personally but the fact that it was yiddish was enough to make me want to go.  And although the President himself stumbled over the few words he was prepped to say in Yiddish, he acknowledged his limitations with a smile and won the crowd over by admitting them.  

But I couldn’t help thinking about my earlier visits to the residence, about Peres’ knowledge of literature and his intimacy.  There was an enormous crowd and I didn’t even get to shake Herzog’s hand.

Because we were early and the crowd was a bit elderly, we went out to see the busts of all the presidents of this country, and I got Gilad Zuckerman to stand in line with me along with the other presidents.  Maybe I should try to actually get the job… After all, I know more Yiddish than he does…