"I started getting stopped in the street," hesays. "They wanted to see tricks."
Geller eventually worked out a deal with theDuncan yo-yo company to be the distributor of theyo-yo in Israel. He sold about 1,000 and started amini craze at his yeshiva.
"I had a little pushcart," Geller says. "And Ihad a hat with a little yo-yo in the front."
Geller says his time spent selling yo-yo raiseda few of his rabbis' eyebrows. But, he says, hemanaged to feed his need to experiment with othercultures without altering his strict religiousbeliefs.
"I wanted to do something and I did it, and Idid it in a way that was consistent with myinternal belief system," he says. "I didn'tcompromise my internal beliefs."
Religious with a Twist
Despite experiencing these different cultures,Geller has never considered abandoning his strictreligious beliefs. In fact, Geller spends much ofhis time teaching the tradition he loves to otherstudents, by leading a beginner's prayer group onFriday nights and by recording a tape of variousprayers.
But he doesn't always use traditional classroomtechnique. For instance, Geller and his roommate,Adam J. Szubin '95, hold a party each year wherethey dress up as Hasidic Jews, complete withearlocks and black hats, and teach Jews andnon-Jews alike traditional prayers and songs.Later in the evening, they assume a modern Israelilook by. Stripping down to open-collared shirts(with fake chest hair) and shorts. Then they teachZionist songs.
Geller also interprets the Hebrew prayerthanking God for food in a way somewhat differentfrom his rabbinical ancestors. As the prayer ischanted aloud in Hebrew, Geller illustrates themeaning of the words with his hands, elicitinglaughter when he cuts with an imaginary scissorswhen signing the concept of the holy covenant (acontract sealed by circumcision).
But Geller's hand motions go beyond pureentertainment value.
"It gave the whole thing meaning and it made itan enjoyable experience," says Jafi Lipson '95,who is a Crimson editor. "Even if you don't knowwhat's going on, you can watch him and feel OK."
Geller also organized a class to teachuncoordinated men traditional Jewish dancing("There was a lot of grunting. It was funny.") anda musical chairs-type game involving paper cupsand using basic Hebrew words.
"It was a fun game that was mildlyeducational," Geller says. "It was not threateningto people afraid of religious freaks. These arestupid activities that have a little bit of apoint."
Geller says he is unsure about his long-rangeplans, saying computers are fun "for now," andnothing that he hasn't ruled out becoming a rabbieventually. Geller also hasn't decided where tolive permanently (he's planning on buying aone-way ticket to Israel).
But whether he is in Denver or Jerusalem,dressed as a pious Jew or as a pregnant woman,Geller surely will never be satisfied with being apart of just one culture