As you might imagine, the experience didn’t particularly endear that community to me

AS a young teenager, I learned in a yeshivah that was part of a different community than the one my family belongs to. I can’t identify the yeshivah or any of the communities involved, because the experience was not a pleasant one; the boys attacked my community and mocked its ways, mercilessly, as proud, immature young men will do. I tried to defend my minhagim and gedolim along with the other boys from a similar background, but we were quite outgunned. In exchanges like these, numbers make a difference. Every time I made a passionate argument in our favor, the others would just laugh. What could I do?

As you might imagine, the experience didn’t particularly endear that community to me. I never completely forgave these boys or this community. Though I try to be accepting, loving, and open-minded to all kehillos and mesoros, I had developed a cynicism toward this particular group. I really tried — and still try — to rise above it. Let old gripes die, move on — no one is perfect. And ahavas Yisrael is so important. But…