I have not done a blog for a while, but our recent trip inspired me to write this.  Join me for this journey. Hope you enjoy!

Our Summer Journey…

Columbus, Canton and Cleveland

We had planned this trip three years ago but our plans were derailed by my cancer diagnosis. It has always been on Jeff’s bucket list to visit Rabbi Howard and Linda Zack  in Columbus Ohio and see  our good friends Ron and Deanna in Cleveland.

            Our trip began with a pleasant flight, non stop, to Columbus Ohio. When we are on a relatively short flight, compared to our hours-long treks to Europe or Israel, it is a breeze by comparison. We stayed near the airport at the Staybridge Inn which is part of our IHG hotel group. We love this hotel family for many reasons, one of which is that we get free points to use which are never blacked out. We gave up trying to save airline points years ago because they never worked out. We get free nights all the time and have used them all over including our annual stay at the Crown Plaza on the beach in Tel Aviv and even at the Intercontinental Hotel in Paris!

            We called the Rabbi and Linda when we arrived and arranged to meet in the evening to go out for ice cream. They picked us up at our hotel which was not far from where they live in Bexley.  Rabbi Howard and Linda Zack were at Beth Jacob for sixteen years. They were “kids” when they came to Oakland as we were their first major pulpit. We were instrumental in helping them get settled in our community and developed an especially close relationship with them for a number of reasons. I was  very active at Beth Jacob and President for two years and worked closely with the Rabbi. I acted as a surrogate mom for Linda when her own mom couldn’t be here, notably being at her house when she came home with each of her three daughters. Linda remembers this fondly. Linda taught our three daughters in religious school and was important in their lives as well.

            These years were critical for our community. Beth Jacob grew and thrived. We became a center for Orthodox Judaism on the west coast and Rabbi and Linda set the bar for the wonderful rabbis who followed.  From Oakland they moved to Bexley Ohio. Jeff and I fell in love with this picturesque place. The homes in their neighborhood are lovely, sprawling, many with big lawns. It reminded us of Mayberry, USA. We even ventured into a real estate office, noting we could get a beautiful home for far less than our crazy Bay Area prices.

            We visited the Rabbi at his synagogue and asked many questions about their community. This synagogue had started in a storefront until it had grown large enough to undertake an impressive building project.  The exterior of the building is Jerusalem stone. The interior is modern but has a certain old world elegance with a stunning chandelier and rich colors in the sanctuary. The design is unique and impressive. It was fun to have lunch at the only kosher lunch place in town, the employee dining room of the Schottenstein offices. The Schottenstein family is extremely well known in Ohio and the whole Jewish world and are members of Rabbi Zack’s shul. Their name is everywhere including at Ohio State which is in Columbus.  The  cafeteria had an impressive array of food. One can have either a dairy or meat meal. It was a “treat” for me to order a hamburger!

            Later in the afternoon, Linda took us on a drive around town. Columbus, despite being the capitol of Ohio, seems to have less traffic than the Bay Area. Linda, who by the way still looks like she did when she arrived in Oakland, has done interesting work as a lawyer and teaches classes in the community. The Rabbi almost looks the same too except for the little bit of gray in his beard! Over dinner at the Zack’s lovely home, we caught up on all the “girls,” their three and our three, and of course there were i-Phone pics shared of our grandchildren. It was great spending time with them.

            From Columbus we rented a car and headed to Canton Ohio. Our goal stopping in Canton was the Football Hall of Fame. Jeff was like a little kid there and enjoyed every minute of it. We saw the bronze bust of our favorite football team owner, Al Davis! It was interesting learning about the early history of the game and seeing the first headgear and uniforms and tracing the evolution of pro football.

            From Canton, (thank goodness for the i-Phone google map feature,) we headed to Cleveland. We were excited to see our good friends who used to live in Oakland. We drove to their home in Highland Heights passing houses with large swaths of lawns  and patches of tall trees in front and back. I love to see how people live in other places. It was very green everywhere and though we were expecting humidity, the weather was pleasant. Jeff and Ron were roommates and Jeff gets credit for introducing Ron to Deanna. We were both celebrating 46 years of marriage and friendship.

            Ron and Deanna live in a spacious townhouse. They have the cutest dog, Sophie, who is more like a person than a dog. Confession…I am not much of a dog person but Sophie isn’t really much like a dog. This cute pure bred Havanese does all kinds of tricks and does not shed. She gets VIP treatment from Deanna and has quite a reputation in the community. Sophie goes all over to hospitals to visit patients, including children being treated for cancer, and seniors in convalescent hospitals. She completed special training and is gentle and very smart. I could see how she could cheer up patients. We really enjoyed being around her.

            Friday evening when we arrived we had Shabbat dinner with their good friends. By the end of the evening we were comfortable like old buddies, laughing and sharing stories. Saturday we visited a botanic garden. Sunday morning Jeff and I headed to the Maltz Museum, the Jewish museum of Cleveland. We especially enjoyed the stories of Jewish immigrants  settling in  Cleveland.

 Sunday afternoon we headed to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This large building has six floor of displays  and exhibitions. We meandered through it watching several films, listening to music along the way and seeing favorite rock stars and bands. We noticed a featured album in a display of the 1960’s flower power era, from our favorite rock star, Neska.  We then went to meet our son in law’s aunt Marilyn and Uncle David for dinner who live in Cleveland. Of course they knew Ron and Deanna…It’s a small world!

Bedford

The next morning we piled in the car we had rented heading to Shanksville PA. We were going to the Flight 93 memorial. Ironically, the cataclysmic events of 9/11 became a leitmotif of our journey. We had to make a detour for a Subway tuna sandwich which we found after a few wrong turns then got back on the freeway.After close to three hours of driving, we got to the Flight 93  Memorial passing old farmhouses, small towns, some adorned with  American and Confederate flags and following signs on a long and curvy road. The memorial  visitor’s center and museum is a stark concrete building which contains the photos and stories of the brave passengers who diverted the plane from its path and  told the story of that fateful day, September 11, 2001. 

 This jet liner was one of four which were hijacked, two crashing in to the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon and this one was meant to  crash in Washington DC. This  plane crashed into an open field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania in the Laurel Highlands. The 40 passengers and crew of Flight 93 had found out from phone calls about the planes which hit the World Trade Center. They figured out  this was part of a larger plot, and they quickly developed a plan to try to take back the plane. They succeeded in this effort, but, unfortunately, lost their lives.

 I was struck by the phone messages of a few of the passengers and crew. They were calm and told their loved ones about the hijacking, where to find documents and that they loved them. It made me think of what I would have said in that moment.  Those words were chilling. The first morning news reports from Katie Couric and Matt Lauer  were running which reported the  initial crash of the plane hitting the World Trade Center. Who knew at that moment how the world would forever change?

There is a viewing platform which traced the flight path of the plane. From the platform, one can look down on a peaceful green field. In the distance, a fence blocks anyone but family from going to the actual spot of  impact which is marked by a large boulder. Once again, it was hard to wrap my mind around the events of 9/11 and the confluence of circumstances which had to work for the hijackers  to succeed including learning how to fly a jumbo jet.

After the memorial we headed to Bedford PA where we had reservations at a quaint B and B in a two hundred year old historical house restored by the owners. This place was a bit disappointing. The room was nice enough but the owners were rather stuffy. Jeff, who is a breakfast person, was not excited by the breakfast and had to eat part of mine or he would have been left hungry. The town itself did not have much going on. The owner of the B and B told us to go to a restaurant he raved about but it was a bust. We are spoiled by what we can get in the Bay Area. There were some amazing historical homes which we discovered on an early morning walk. One of our favorite things to do is go exploring on foot wherever we find ourselves.

Washington DC

Our next stop was Washington DC. We got on the road in the morning for the 2 ½ hour drive to DC. Our car ride was fun with the four of us chatting back and forth about a variety of topics and having a few good laughs. There was a light rain, probably remnants of hurricane Harvey,  and when we arrived at the Capitol Hill Hotel the rain was coming down fairly hard. I had found this hotel from a recommendation on Trip Advisor. I really liked it. The rooms were comfortable, great L’Occitane amenities, and a friendly staff. We parked in front of the hotel and dropped off our luggage. I wish I could learn to pack like some of my friends with just carry-ons but I have not mastered this yet. We checked in and left our luggage then maneuvered to drop off the rental which turned out to be at the close by Union Station in their parking garage. After a few wrong turns, we found the right way in and left the car. 

We grabbed a cab and went to the museum I had scouted out for this afternoon, the Newseum. Ironically there was an article the next day  in the Washington Post that this museum is having financial difficulties. I was so glad we could see it. It was quite fascinating and traced the history of newspapers, showed newspapers from around the world, and had historical papers from important days. For example, there was a newspaper relating the events of Krystalnacht, in November of 1938. We spent around three hours there looking at the different exhibits. There was a fascinating display of iconic photographs, all Pulitzer Prize winners. We watched a number of short videos as well.

Following this museum, Jeff and I headed to a restaurant where we were going to meet my cousin Harriet, her husband Harvey and their daughter Robin. Since we got to the restaurant, Zantinya, too early we headed across the street to the National Portrait Museum. We cruised in there for a half hour until our feet and my twitschy back were ready for a rest. We hustled back across the street in a light rain. This restaurant was bustling. It was Mediterranean serving a large variety of small plates. It was great seeing my cousin and family and catching up. We headed back to the hotel.

The next morning was sunny and beautiful. The hotel offered a substantial breakfast though it was labeled as” Continental”, it was more than that. Jeff and I get up really early so after breakfast we took off walking. Ron and Deanna would meet us later at the museum I had booked for us months ago. Let me say there is something thrilling about being in DC. Despite all the uncertainty and concerns about the direction our government is going in, seeing the Capitol in the early morning light is awe inspiring. I was struck by the number of armed soldiers, barricades and police everywhere. We walked to Kamala Harris’ office thinking we might get a pass to see the Senate in action. The Senate was still in recess and she was not in her office (she was in Oakland for a town meeting). We got the passes but did not use them.

            From there we walked to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. This museum is one of the hottest tickets in town right now and I got free tickets months ago by getting on line at 6AM on the day the tickets were available. Then I was put in a queue and ordered the tickets with a specific entrance time. Our friends met us in front of the museum and we joined hundreds of people to tour the museum. There were three lower floors which traced the history of slavery. There is a tremendous amount of history to absorb and this is a museum one can spend days, not just hours. I always try to get the flavor even if I don’t read every word of every exhibit.  I saw exhibits depicting the painful stories of the slaves wrenched from their homes in Africa, families brutally torn apart on the auction block, and the economic ramifications for slavery. The conflicts of our founding fathers, some slaveholders themselves, while still espousing human rights was important to consider.

            The history of the early civil rights movements was depicted in large photographic displays and videos as well. We spent most of the time on the first three floors and missed the upper floors. Touring a museum like this requires stamina. I looked around at the African American people in the museum, young and old, wondering what this experience meant to them. I thought of how I felt when I went to the Holocaust Museum in DC on a previous trip or Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.

            We took a cab to the White House though we could only see it from a distance. Barricades kept us from going close and we would have had to book a tour in advance. Then Jeff and I went to the American History Museum. I enjoyed seeing the elegant ball gowns of the First Ladies. There is so much to see in DC. The offerings of museums are remarkable, and this is a city I would definitely come back to.

            We met up with Ron and Deanna back at the hotel. They had gone to one of the venerable art museums. Tonight we were going to Chevy Chase to have dinner with my niece Julie, her husband Rusty and her four beautiful  children, ages ten to two. We called Uber to got there. Since I have not used Uber too much, it is a bit of an adventure. Our cab driver got us there driving across town , around a 40 minute trek.

            We had a lovely evening, finding out about their life and work and enjoying the four lively adorable children. My great niece Noa, only seven already “gets” what happened in Charlottesville.  It made me think that this world we are living in can be a scary place for children.

The Big Apple

The next morning we caught an early train to New York. It is fun figuring out where to go and what to do at the rocking train station with people scurrying everywhere. My friend Deanna pointed out there was no security when  we got on the train though there were many armed police around. I had to chuckle to myself in irony when a railroad employee yelled out to us as we were waiting to board, “if you see something, say something.” Oy...

            The three hour train trip was pleasant. I read and closed my eyes a little. Jeff was working on crossword puzzles. We arrived in New York around 10:45AM. The moment you hit the street in New York you feel you are in a different world. There are horns blaring, sirens everywhere, crowds, hustle bustle. You know you are not in Bexley. We took a cab to our hotel in Midtown which was recommended to me by a friend. It was very well located, in walking distance of Central Park, across the street from Carnegie Hall, and not far from Times Square. The rooms were smallish but definitely adequate and this hotel was busy with tourists from all around the world. I heard many languages. 

            We decided to have a quiet afternoon, took a walk in Central Park dodging bike riders and carriages. Then we headed back to the hotel to rest a bit as we were going to the theater in the evening. I chose a kosher restaurant not far from the theater, Mr. Broadway, which was OK. Jeff and I shared a brisket sandwich which was huge. Ron had shwarma which was fair and Deanna had matzoh ball soup. We saw War Paint with two excellent actresses and singers, Patti Lupone and Christine Ebersoll. The show was about a supposed rivalry between two cosmetic empires, headed by Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden. I liked the show but can’t say I loved it. I was surprised that the audience did not dress up at all. I suppose those days are long gone.

            Friday morning we had reservations to see the new 9/11 museum. Outside the large museum  are two enormous reflecting pools, each nearly an acre in size,  which are beautiful and evocative. We paused silently and observed them.  The pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood. The names of every person who died in the 2001 and the earlier  1993 attack are inscribed into bronze panels edging the Memorial pools.,…” a powerful reminder of the largest loss of life resulting from a foreign attack on American soil and the greatest single loss of rescue personnel in American history.”
            The museum is a lot to take in. There are photos of every victim including of course the rescue personnel with bios of them. I read some of them.  It was so sad to read the name of one young woman who perished with her unborn baby. There were twisted steel sculptures and the remnants of a staircase hundreds of survivors used to flee from the towers. Once again we heard recordings and snippets of new briefs. One section had a collection of years of covers of the New Yorker which had the World Trade Center Towers in the background. A mangled fire truck and remnants of shoes and papers were haunting. After a few hours we had all had enough and needed to go out to the air and sun to regroup.

            Our afternoon plan was to go to the Lower East Side to have a tour at the Tenement Museum. First we had to stop at the famous Katz’s Deli. I had cheese blintzes. It is hard to believe the size of the sandwiches! I had looked at my credit card bill on line and by chance saw I was charged $816 for the blintzes. Oops…someone hit the wrong key.( It never hurts to glance over one’s charges). Our tour at the Tenement Museum was called “Shop Life.” Our tour guide was excellent and I found out she was a former history teacher. We loved hearing about the life of immigrants who settled in these crowded streets and  the merchants who had their stores on the lower floors of the tenements. One of the featured merchants we learned about had a kosher butcher shop and he ended up going out of business after a strike by the housewives protesting a price increase.  Another story we heard was a German immigrant who had a pub which was an important meeting place for the community.

            After the tour I spoke with our tour leader in the gift shop. After I complimented her, we spoke about the current political climate with the threat to rescind DACA which was in the news. Her parents were Holocaust survivors and she was born in a DP camp. I told her I was the child of immigrants as well. We both lamented the current state of turmoil that immigrants had to deal with in our country. We were on the same page and had a heartfelt conversation.

            Back to the hotel for a few hours before we were to head to our good friends Russ and Toby Winer who live in New York and invited us for Shabbat dinner. We joined them for Shabbat services in their little shul right near their stunning apartment on Fifth Ave. near NYU where Russ is a professor. We had a few good laughs reminiscing about their time in Oakland. It was a special treat to see their son Andrew and his son Asher. I remember Andrew as a friendly smiling kid and now after years of study,  he is a urologist. However, he has not changed and still is  the cute, friendly and smiling Andrew we knew years ago. We chuckled over his memorable Bar Mitzvah party on a Blue and Gold boat on the bay when we stopped to pick up some fishermen whose boat had capsized. Some things you never forget… and some things don’t change. Russ and Toby are the same wonderful gracious hosts they have always been.

            The next day we spent a quiet morning walking again in Central Park very close to our hotel. In the afternoon we ventured back to the area around NYU. In the evening we went to a terrific comedy club, Stand Up New York in the upper West Side owned by my cousin’s son. It had started to pour and we were lucky we had brought umbrellas.  Gabe Waldman welcomed us and we had some big laughs listening to the four featured up and coming comedians. Then my cousin Celia and her husband Alan met us and we ventured out in the downpour and  found a  Starbucks to sit down and schmooze. Three of my father’s four brothers had settled in New York and Celia is my first cousin. We had fun for the short time we met catching up.

            On Sunday, Ron and Deanna left in the morning and we wandered in the light rain to Rockefeller Center and around the area. The streets even on Sunday morning were packed and we found ourselves in the midst of a lively green and yellow-clad  crowd for a Brazil festival. We were getting tired and made our way back to Times Square where we were going to a matinee before heading to the airport for our flight home.

            This musical was the perfect coda to our trip. We saw Come From Away, the fascinating and inspiring story of the people of Newfoundland, especially in the town of Gander who opened their  hearts and homes to the seven thousand passenger from 39 jets forced to land there on 9/11 when all planes were grounded. The play was so clever with the cast switching roles between the bewildered passengers, to the townspeople and their reactions all on a minimal set. We loved this production.

            Then we returned to our hotel to pick up our luggage and head back to Oakland. What a journey, filled with a variety of museum experiences,  seeing friends and family, sightseeing,  and taking time reflecting about the ramifications of 9/11 and our crazy world today.  I am filled with gratitude that we could do this trip which three years ago was not possible.