My Trip - and a Movie

Just got back from Israel. Even though the non stop flight was a game changer - I’m nevertheless still pretty jet lagged. Just wanted to write a note about how amazing this trip was for my wife and me. We got to see our two great grandchildren - and meet the wife of my grandson and husband of my granddaughter for the first time. Was not able to attend those weddings because of the ‘at the time’ strict Israeli COVID protocols. 

Both are wonderful  people perfectly matched for my 2 grandchildren. I could not have chosen better if I tried. 

I also had the pleasure of attending a grandson’s Bar Mitzvah. Who did Kriyas HaTorah flawlessly. Not a single mistake! I am not exaggerating and I don’t lie

I don’t usually talk about my ‘Israeli’ family. But I will do so just this once because I can't resist telling the world how very proud I am of them. What my son has done with his life is beyond anything I could have ever imagined. That he is Charedi and raised his family that way does not make the slightest bit of difference to me. I could not be happier with the path he has chosen and how he is traversing it. 

My memories of this trip are vivid. I don’t recall ever experiencing such a strong recall of all the numerous experiences I had on this trip insuch great detail. I am constantly experiencing flashbacks. All of which are positive. Can’t wait to return.

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On a separate and totally unrelated  note, I happened to watch a 2013 foreign film during my flight back to Chicago called ‘Ida’. It was produced in Poland and received the 2015 Oscar for best foreign film.   Deservedly so.

Taking place in 1962, it is the story of a devout young ‘Christian’ woman studying to be a nun. She was about to take her vows when finding out that she was Jewish and that her parents were murdered in the Holocaust. The film exquisitely exposes the many Poles who took over the homes from their Jewish neighbors that perished in the Holocaust. As it does showing how Poles really felt about their Jewish neighbors even after the Holocaust. Many of whom were complicit in helping the Nazis try to achieve their goal of exterminating all of European Jewry.

After some soul searching, she returned to the convent to take her vows. That unsatisfactory ending (from a religious perspective) should not diminish the powerful message of the film - made even more powerful because it was produced by Poles. It is a must see.