Saying thanks
From the November 2015 issue of The Rotarian
When I was 20 years old, I flew to Israel for a semester abroad. The moment we landed, all the passengers onboard burst into applause. I’d never seen such a thing. The man next to me, an elderly Hasid, sensed my bewilderment.
“This is to say thanks,” he murmured.
“For what?”
“For the miracle of safe passage to the promised land.” He looked at me for a long moment. “It is a miracle, don’t you think?”
I don’t remember much about that semester. But this exchange has haunted me for nearly three decades. I’m still taken aback by the towering ignorance…
