Page 28 - Issue 31

Next morning, Meyer began to put on his tefillin,
all the while saying his prayers. The parrot
demanded to know what he was doing, and when
Meyer explained, the parrot wanted to do it too.
Meyer went out and handmade a miniature set of
tefillin for the parrot. The parrot wanted to learn
to daven, so Meyer taught him how read Hebrew,
and taught him every prayer in the Siddur with
the appropriate nussach for the daily services.
Meyer spent weeks and months sitting and
teaching the parrot the Torah, Mishnah and
Gemara. In time, Meyer came to love and count
on the parrot as a friend and a Jew.

On the morning of Rosh Hashanah, Meyer rose,
got dressed and was about to leave when the
parrot demanded to go with him. Meyer
explained that Shul was not a place for a bird,
but the parrot made a terrific argument and was
carried to Shul on Meyer’s shoulder. Needless to
say, they made quite a sight when they arrived at
the Shul, and Meyer was questioned by everyone,
including the Rabbi and Cantor, who
refused to allow a bird into the
building on the High Holy Days.
However, Meyer convinced them to
let him in this one time, swearing
that the parrot could daven.

Wagers were made with
Meyer. Thousands of dollars
were bet that the parrot