Eastern Standard Time

3,155 miles, a dozen cities, and 15 states.  I made it across the country to my final US destination, Boston, on Wednesday.  It's really nothing more than a blur at this point, considering how much ground I covered in such a short amount of time.  As harried as my drive may have felt at times, I was able to find time to see both the living and the dead.  I even ran into someone that I hadn't planned on seeing - a former colleague from Seattle (falls into the "living" category) who just happened to be at Smorgasburg in Brooklyn at the same time I was there with my cousin Marissa.  What are the chances?



Ran into this clown in Brooklyn

This last piece of my roadtrip was all about family.  In Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and West Roxbury (Boston), I shared news of my upcoming adventures with those that are no longer with us.  In one sense, the trip to the Old Country that I'm about to make is a payment of respect and gratitude to these ancestors who risked it all to ensure continuity of the bloodline.  Had they stayed put where they were, there's a very good chance that I would not be here sharing my stories with you today. 

I also met family members on this trip that were only names on a family tree before.  I am so greatful for the open and warm reception that I've received from everyone; for whatever reason, I have been given the gift of choreographing reunions of cousins across the country and beyond after a generation or two of withering family connections.  And I am cherishing every moment of it.


Rosenblum cousins meeting for the first time

Perhaps the most rewarding reunion to date is the family in Yonkers, whom I wrote about in a previous post.  It was an emotional day for me when I was able to finally meet cousin Beatrice and her daughter in person.  I was treated to stories of the family matriarch and patriarch, Sarah and Sam, and of Aunt Ida, who's mint-condition pale yellow upholstered chair I was able to rest my ass upon while viewing family photos.  My interminable and thorough detective work truly paid off this time! 

Marilyn and Beatrice in Yonkers

While in New York, I stopped by the Center for Jewish History to do a little research on the landsmanshaftn that some of my relatives belonged to in Philadelphia and Boston.  Very interesting stuff.  I didn't find anything particularly relevant to my family's past, but looking at original membership leaflets and social programs did give me a glimpse into what these immigrant organizations were all about back in the 1930's and just how important it was to find and build community with your own people in America during economically, socially, and politically turbulent times.

I am enjoying my final week in the US with family in Boston.  I leave on Wednesday evening for Europe, which I fully expect will inspire me to live life in a more meaningful way.  I owe it to myself and I owe it to all those around me who have to listen to me go on and on about my trip.