I was born in Israel in 1968, in the outskirts of Tel Aviv.

I've been blessed with an amazing father who taught me most of what I know about how to think. Unfortunately, I never met his father (my grandfather), because he died when my father was only six. It happened in Poland during WW2: one day he went out in search of food and never came back. My grandfather was a Zionist who dreamt of making Aliyah to Israel. Although he never made it, 75 years later his memory lives on in Israel. In February 2018, we inaugurated in Herzliya a bait ham (which literally translates to “a warm house”) to commemorate him. 

A bait ham is a place for children in challenging circumstances: it provides a haven for them to do their homework, get mentored, eat a hot meal, or just hang out and play. For me, the bait ham is a symbol of how special Israel is, not because of its many achievements in almost every aspect of human life (technology, medicine, agriculture, science, economy...), but rather because of the extraordinary compassion of its people. A bait ham is a home for those who don't have much of a home of their own, a place where the community fills in for what relatives can't always provide. 

Israel is not a rich country, but there is a strong sense of unity that brings the society together like an extended family. To get a taste of the way people feel about each other here, note that in Israel we approach strangers with the expression achi - my brother.

The inauguration of the bait ham has been for me a great occasion, not only to honor my grandfather's memory, but also to be reminded of how proud I am of my nationality and of the country I was born into. Surely the best way to remember my grandfather is to help new generations of young Israelis to feel cared for, which will hopefully empower them to build themselves and their country a better future.