When Hashem closes one door...

Arriving in America, and discovering that we were in limbo had us in Morristown for a month, trying to fundraise, and then find a job. It didn't work out, so we came to Montreal, where we had a disappointing first week before finally finding an apartment.

Then we davened hard. I needed a temporary job, and tried everything. I even have been working for my mother, cleaning out the backyard. Hashem answered in a very weird way.

I made an appointment with Coho (a job-helping agency from and for Outremont Chassidim), and met with a woman there, who told me that they only had one job available, data entry for 10 dollars an hour. She also helped me write a resume, but then she emailed it to the wrong email address, and deleted it off her computer and email.

Desperate, I called and met with a Mr. Davidovici, a sweet little Litvishe man who sells stamps. I took the job, and spent the first week working for him.

I'm in my second week now and it's been a blessing. In most of my past jobs, I have worked with or for people who make me lose my faith in humanity. Finally here is a decent elderly guy who is so laid back and to be honest 'cute', and a mentsch to boost, that even though the work is boring, I'm actually somewhat enjoying it.

At the end of the first week he walked over to me and said, "usually my worker doesn't know computers and isn't quick to catch on, but I can see you know what you're doing. I'm paying you 14 an hour."

For anyone who has ever made fun of Litvaks (or Misnagdim), I wish they would have seen that. In general I actually find most Litvaks to be more honest than any other denomination.

Anyway, I've also been receiving call after call and offer after offer to write. Screenplays in particular. And not just screenplays of their choosing, it's mostly people (and well-known frum filmmakers too) telling me, "Zvi, you've got a name. Write whatever you want and we'll produce it and you'll make money."

Lots of doors have opened, and I will be walking through them. Not all of them, just ones that I see the people are serious and willing to partially pay me beforehand. But I will write nonetheless. I already have ideas brewing.

I also want to go to school to study screenwriting. Perhaps I should take a writing course too over the summer. If I'm gonna be doing this, I should do it right.