Goht Zol Benchen Amerika!

Zoog mir in Yiddish

To my C’hevreh pooh Yiddlec’h. To my few fellow Jews ... let me be the first to wish you a healthy, Happy New Year in Yiddish! Ihr zolt hooben ah Gehzint’n un ah Freilic’hen Nyem Yooweh!

You should have a Healthy and Happy New Year!

Meanwhile, Jan. 20 is a special day in our history. We, as a nation, celebrate the inauguration of our newly elected president. For me, Jan. 20 also represents a memorable date. Every year, no matter where we are, my Mom and I lift a glass, and proclaim L’Chayim!

Why? Miz geh kimmen kaan Amerikeh. That’s when we came to America.

My parents were survivors. They met and married shortly after liberation from Dachau in 1945. I was born in 1947. In 1949, my Dad died of a terrible illness. My parents had been making plans for where to go, it being a toss-up between Israel or the United States. My mom, now a young widow, presented herself before the United Nations Relief and Works Agency representative to determine where her future home would be. Because she was a widow and had a child, the representative flat out told her, “You’ll never make it in Israel ... You’re going to America!”

Ah zoy iz es geh vayzen. And so, it was.

We left from Bremenhaffen, Germany. Somewhere along the line we got our green cards, establishing our identities. We boarded our ship, inzeh shiff, for the ride of our life — ten days across an angry Atlantic Ocean. You’d think we’d dock in New York, but God had other plans. We sailed around Florida and wound up in New Orleans, LA. One afternoon on the ship, another life altering event occurred. My Mom handed me ah klein flesh’l, a small bottle, and said, “Nah! Gehb ah trink!” “Here! Take a drink!” It was my first bottle of Coca-Cola, and life hasn’t been the same since.

We arrived in port on Jan. 20 and left for our final destination: St. Louis, MO. We became newly minted Americans, realized dee goldeneh mehdeeneh, the golden dream, and have flourished beyond our wildest imagination. Every Jan. 20, the chant is always the same, Goht zol benchen Amerikeh! God Bless America! The message that started about 74 years ago hasn’t changed.