One of the things that is becoming more obvious as the years pass, and is really quite sad to a traditionalist like me, is our connection to our heritage. That connection could have been to nationality, religion, or both, but the reality is that in today’s culture, that connection is weak at best. I was reminded of this societal change a couple of weeks ago on Easter Sunday. We got up early, as we always do, and went to the 8 am service, which lacked a lot of celebration. We went home, had a quiet dinner (at least it was ham for a bit of tradition), and watched golf for the afternoon. No visitors, no visits, just a quiet Sunday afternoon. Quite a change from Easter Sundays of my childhood, which were the biggest celebration of the Catholic Calendar and a family gathering for an Italian-style feast.
It was complete with my grandmother dressed to the nines, proudly making dinner for her family, and my grandfather at the head of the table, dressed in his finest suit, blessing the family using a Palm from the previous Sunday dipped in Holy Water. We had stopped to visit aunts and uncles on the way home from church, and family kept popping in all afternoon. It was an event that had evolved into a quiet afternoon, with Jim Nance narrating the final round. Easter was a dual connection to the past with a celebration rich in religion and olde-world culture. I appreciate those Sundays more now that they are gone, and I miss them.
I have two hypotheses why I think this has happened. The first is that we are much more mobile today. No longer is our neighborhood a collection of families whose last name ended in a vowel. We have left the nest, broken down the walls, and the world is now our neighborhood. The other reason is what I call the homogenization of the family. My grandmother called it marrying within your race (I guess that makes Nana the first racist I knew). Italians married Italians, the French the French, and even the Polish the Polish. It was a bit narrow-minded, but the traditions remained alive until the last 50 years or so, when things began to change, and the past, our heritage, was a fading vision in the rearview mirror.
One of the strongest groups with a vice-grip hold on tradition was the Jews. First of all, they had the richest neighborhood in town, so there was no hurry to break out, but I think the fact that the Jews were the target of aggression from every other group on Earth made them stick together and protect each other. One of my first loves was a Jewish girl, Michelle, but she was from Tower Hill, and I was from Prospect Hill, and neither family was going to let that bridge be built. But the chain was not strong enough for even the Jews, and today, there are a few different levels to choose from and still be a Jew. The Orthodox will be Jews to the death and ascension to Heaven. The traditionalists still adhere to all the norms, but they are slipping, and the new, younger Jew has bought into questioning the reality of the Holocaust, and doesn’t care for an all-black wardrobe, unless it is Goth.[Related: GABERT: Governor Ayotte Declares April 29, 2026 End Jew Hatred Day]
My good friend Liz Gabert, who used to let me be a guest on her radio show, Life with Liz, is making it her mission to reconnect with her religious past. She has been studying the Jewish religion, as my Shay studies the Bible. The difference is that there is a sadness to Liz’ journey as she feels quite alone on the path, and she realizes every day how strong the hatred is towards the Jewish people from every corner of the globe. Some countries, such as Iran, would just as soon drop a nuke in Tel Aviv and say good night to the Jewish people. They would like to finish the genocide that started over eighty years ago.
Last year, and again this year, Liz reached out to Governor Kelly Ayotte, requesting that April 29th be proclaimed End Jew Hatred Day in New Hampshire, as it was throughout the country. She was thrilled one day last year to go to her mailbox, and there was the official Proclamation, signed by the Governor of New Hampshire and making the day official in the Granite State, but maybe more importantly, assuring Liz that she was not alone on the road of her journey to the past.
Liz is not sure when she first heard the term, but antisemitism is synonymous with evil, and it is reinforced almost daily on the nightly news. Liz doesn’t just talk the talk; she is a woman of strong convictions and connection to her religious heritage. Standing idly on the sidelines is not how she plays the game of life. It is very much alive in her heart and soul, and she now has two official Proclamations to codify her efforts. God bless you, Liz, and Shalom, my friend. Peace be upon you and on every Jew in the world. May there someday be a world where a day to end hatred toward your people, your fellow Jews, will no longer be needed.
