Grumpy Dog Granddad

He is a tall, lean man in his seventies, walking a tiny brown short-haired dog. He walks leading with his head, his whole body looking like a moving question mark. The first time I saw him was a warm fall evening. Carmen, my Golden Retriever rescue girl went to greet the little dog, as she … Read more

100 Danish Kroner – a story from Behind the Iron Curtain

“Jeg kan ikke tale dansk” Early 1980’s Eforie Nord, a Black Sea shore resort The Europa restaurant is as spacious as a wedding hall, brimming with foreign tourists, the tables covered with white table cloth and boasting the colours, aromas and textures of the finest Romanian cuisine. I am a tourist guide for the summer, … Read more

Grandpa Mendel

“Where is your father from?” Gideon, an elderly man with a wide, open face, looks at my application form and reads my last name out loud. Then he fixes his gaze upon my eyes from across his desk and asks: “Where is your father from? Do you have relatives in Bacau?” If you only met … Read more

Lessons from a Bad Marriage

I had a “lesson-resourceful” marriage and this is what I learned: Trauma. We marry our unresolved issues. We marry our shadow. We must address and heal trauma so that we don’t repeat it. We must understand trauma so that we recognize it in ourselves and in others. What to look for. What is fixable. What … Read more

Loving Dad

A story of healing the soul of my family and turning fear and resentment into love   The happiest memories of my Dad and I are the first ones that I can recall. They involve apples, a yellow jackknife and a bench in the park. Dad used to hold me on his knees, and feed … Read more

Why Israel – What made me decide to leave Romania and move to a small, hot country at war

I am not sure whether I am a Zionist or not. But I am definitely a toffee lover. Let me explain from the beginning. When I hear stories of what happened to Jews in Romania before and during World War II, how my grandfather and uncles were killed by the local Nazis, together with many … Read more