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The Hindu liturgy
and customs didn’t hold
my attention for long,
and I preferred singing
devotional songs in
English rather than in
Sanskrit. I carried on long
conversations with Sai Baba
in my mind and applauded
his emphasis on caring for
the needy. Except for his discourses, I had no interest in Indian spiritual texts and felt that I was being disloyal to my Jewish faith. I observed Sam’s one-pointed devotion and thought that I could never have the discipline necessary to become a good devotee.
Sam’s mother, described by Sai Baba as “GRANDmother,” was remarkably open-minded and supportive. However, there was continuing tension with my parents who could not understand our lifestyle. I described Sai Baba as a great humanitarian who encourages the unity of religions and inspires us to love all, serve all. I explained that he discourages proselytizing or promoting his physical form, and that he does not want to have money collected in his name. Yet deep within, I knew that I couldn’t explain something that I didn’t fully understand, especially something people didn’t really want to hear.
Our twin daughters, Ruth and Rachel, went with us to India in 1980 for Sai Baba’s 55th birthday, and Sai Baba was very gracious. In the midst of the busy festivities, he saw us for a private interview in a small room in the Poornachandra Auditorium, spoke about our family, and blessed us all. He took a previously materialized ring from Sam, slowly blew on it, and transformed it into a beautiful gold ring. Yet despite Sai Baba’s loving manner, my mind was still caught in a swirl of questions, and I le India silently entreating Sai Baba to remove
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