He had no friends. He worried about fitting in. His hometown of Pikesville, Md., an upscale community near Baltimore, is quite different from Huntington in the heart of Appalachia. Pikesville is predominately Jewish, with about 25,000 people. Its downtown is dotted with kosher markets, delis and bagel shops.
Every neighborhood has a synagogue or two within walking distance.
While at about 52,000 people, Huntington is more than double Pikesville s size, but is less urban. Less than 1 percent of the population is Jewish. But he loved it right away. Everyone is willing to help you. Baltimore is not that way.