“In the early years of my career I sometimes shared the story of my immigration to the US, from the Ukraine, in time for kindergarten. At that age I was already aware that I was not really ‘Ukrainian’ as the natives confidently classified...maybe because in the Ukraine, my family and I were simply identified as Jews, or any of the number of unfriendly terms that Jewish people were, and often still are, called. So as far back as I can remember, I was never taught to hide that I was a Jew, this reflex habit developed so early that it seems like a natural born instinct. An instinct which was still required in considerable magnitude when we moved here to another environment that doesn't exactly embrace Jews. Well, I'm no longer going to diminish my heritage for your comfort, some people hate simply for the sake of hating, let them crumble under the weight of that burden...we will celebrate light and life...I'm a Jew in America. This is my story. Shalom.” - YOD