Heroic Eighties

When my father turned 80, I organized a surprise party so that he could celebrate while being surrounded by what mattered most to him: family, friends (including fellow tennis enthusiasts), good food, and a grand piano. As he walked into the room full of lifetime friends, he put his hand to his wrist and with a wide smile joyously proclaimed, “My heartbeat is slow and steady." My father immigrated to the United States from Israel when he was twenty- five. Having spent his youth under British colonialism and then the nascent country of Israel, he had minimal exposure to American culture prior to his arrival to study at NYU. As he built a stable home for his family…

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