The Passing of a National Hero

This morning I learned of the passing of Zvi Shafir ז"ל, the grandfather of good friends of mine here in Israel. This man was a great representative of a fantastic generation here who pioneered the establishment of the modern Nation of Israel. He was one of the lucky Jewish refugees from a morally tattered Europe who made it to then Palestine and toiled to create this country for the generations to come. Zvi was part of a generation who will hold legendary status in the lengthy annals of Jewish history. It is of my opinion that proper tribute can hardly be paid to Zvi and the many others of his time who created a new future, pride, and a hope of surviving and prospering for the Jewish People. I feel lucky to have known him. His passing simply highlights how my young generation must truly cherish the opportunity to still sit and learn first-hand of the tribulations of those times over 60 years ago.

Please take some time to watch this incredible video interview produced just weeks before his death by his granddaughters:

Zvi's Memories from Gustavo Sales on Vimeo.

Our Nation is Forever Indebted

If not for the undaunted courage of Miep Gies, the world-changing diary of Anne Frank would not have survived, or perhaps ever have been written at all. Anne's diary is undoubtedly the most widely known personal message that survives from the Holocaust. This story sheds an unequivocal light on the futile struggle for survival faced by all the Jews of Europe during the war. The story, or rather the printed book form, is a priceless element in the historical narrative of the Jewish People, and has told the world of our plight in those dark days like nothing else could.

We owe a collective gratitude to Miep Gies and the thousands of others like her that not only saw what was right and wrong, but acted upon it.

Some articles related to her passing at the age of 100:

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1142077.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/world/europe/12gies.html?scp=1&sq=miep%20gies&st=cse

Magen David Adom, Tel Aviv

An exposure like no other.

As an active volunteer EMT with MDA Tel Aviv, Israel, I see the inner workings of the city from the streets to people's homes. As a new immigrant in this society, no other experience has so intimately introduced me to the city and the country as a whole. It provides me with a unique cultural exposure by entering peoples homes across all strata of society.















With much of the "clientele" being elderly, this has given me a great opportunity to learn their amazing stories. This is the generation who escaped the persecutions of Europe and elsewhere in the world and established this country.

For example, this last Sunday during my shift on the intensive care ambulance, we took an 87 year old woman to the hospital with chest pain and other irregularities. On the way, I was responsible for monitoring her status as closely as possible. One of the best ways I have learned to do that is just by talking conversationally.
Captivating my imagination, she told me of her journey through British displaced persons camps in Cyprus as a Holocaust refugee from Poland. Glaring at the wrinkled blue tattoo of still legible numbers in the center of her forearm, what she described to me was the long story short. She came through the flames and built this place from scratch.

This incredible generation is, sadly and inevitably, being taken to the hospital by day and night more than I'd like to admit. I am profoundly grateful for my exposure to their lives and stories, and realize that this is an opportunity that will not exist for my children.

The stories and experiences must live on through us.

More on this to be posted soon...