Tomorrow morning at an early hour I will be getting into our car and driving to Baltimore, Maryland. What’s in Baltimore you ask? I am looking forward to attending the graduation of my youngest Eisenberg grandchild. Doniel will be graduating as valedictorian from Talmudical Academy of Baltimore. Graduating from high school these days is considered more of an exciting stepping stone than a large accomplishment in itself, but when I look at Donny (as I call him) I think of the very young boy who went off to high school at the age of 13 all by himself. He left behind his family in Rochester and I cannot imagine that he was anything but scared and worried. He lived in a dormitory, fended for himself and spent most Shabbatot either eating with other students or at the homes of his kind and caring rebbeim. Tomorrow he is graduating and has told us that he is overwhelmingly sad to be leaving such warm and wonderful people. They nurtured him, taught him and actually loved him. Should I not celebrate this occasion? In my mind there is not a doubt. I need to hug him and celebrate his accomplishments.
The morning after I return from Baltimore, we will drive together to Montreal to celebrate the accomplishments of great friends—Malca and Louis Drazin. They are being honored at the 50th anniversary of the Hebrew Academy of Montreal dinner. True we could have refused their generous invitation but we want to honor all that they have done for the Montreal Jewish community. They have been a driving force in perpetuating the quality of yiddishkeit taught to our children for many years. The following day we will attend the closing program of the CARE center which Naama attends each day. Once we made the difficult decision of leaving her behind in Montreal we also knew that it would require us to visit Montreal frequently despite the hardship involved in the drive.
Many look at us as if we are crazy running from one place to another. (sometimes I think so also) Yet, we are so grateful to be able to do so. No, it is not always easy, but feting those that we care about and love makes our life so much fuller. Many of us tend not to drive the extra mile to celebrate a simcha. The traffic, the lateness of the hour, the “chutzpah to make a simcha so far away,” all come into play as deciding factors of whether or not to attend. I say, let’s go for it as long as we are able. As we have mentioned in the past, we get on planes, drive extra miles, in order to attend funerals. How much more meaningful might it have been to have attended a simcha with that same person alive and well?
Many take the time to drive to the Berkshires and enjoy a concert under the stars, yet the same individuals hesitate to drive the distance to visit an elderly aunt in Boston or even more shockingly to visit a parent not so far away who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. How often have we heard: “He won’t know if we are there anyway.” Trust us, your conscience will know forever, your children will follow your example and in many cases the ill person might in one fleeting moment realize it as well.
As it is now the next morning and I am about to jump into the car to begin my Baltimore drive I suggest to everyone that they put themselves out just a drop by participating in a happy occasion that they deemed was “too far to go to.” As well, don’t neglect your father’s sister who lives in a city just outside of Pittsburgh and hasn’t seen her nieces and nephews for years, and surely there are relatives that could use a visit that we are not that thrilled about being with.
For the time being we will not hesitate to say YES, as long as we are able. We will honor those who well deserve it, no matter how far the distance is and we will not forget those whose lives are not similar to our own yet deserve the kavod of being remembered while they are still alive. Doniel Eisenberg I am on my way!
By Rabbi Mordechai and Nina Glick
