On December 7th, 1941 my great grandfather was able to experience a tragedy to the American people that would be marked day as a major historical event. This was known as the attack on Pearl Harbor. My great grandfather was born in 1902 in Aleppo, Syria. When he was about 30, he moved his family to Japan because that is where his business was located. After many years of living in Japan, my great grandfather and his family wanted to move to New York. He traveled on one of the best luxury liners. When he went on the top part of the boat to pray he was facing the east direction. He went back again later to pray and stood in that same direction, however, he realized that he was praying in the wrong direction this time. He soon realized that the boat had turned around. That is when he found out that the Japanese boat he was on was going back to Japan because a Japanese airplane just bombed Pearl Harbor. Since my great grandfather was Syrian and not American, the Japanese allowed him to return back to Japan safely. They had to live there until the war officially ended. During that time that they had to return back to Japan, a couple of Jewish people fled from Germany because of the Holocaust. They had escaped through Japan on their way to Shanghai. My Great Grandfather took care of them and was responsible for them until the war was officially over. After it ended in 1945, my great grandfather and his family finally moved to America. He settled in Brooklyn, NY where a large portion of the Jewish Syrian community resides today.
When my mother got married to my father, he lived in Great Neck. Great Neck was very different than it is today. My father loved the culture of Great Neck and the people he grew up with. When my mother was pregnant, they moved to Great Neck because my father wanted us to experience a different lifestyle than my cousins have. He wanted us to meet people who were not only confined to the "Syrian bubble." He thought it was important for us to have our community but also being able to expand on it. Sometimes I do wonder how my life would be had I grown up in Brooklyn, but then I most likely would not be here.
When my mother got married to my father, he lived in Great Neck. Great Neck was very different than it is today. My father loved the culture of Great Neck and the people he grew up with. When my mother was pregnant, they moved to Great Neck because my father wanted us to experience a different lifestyle than my cousins have. He wanted us to meet people who were not only confined to the "Syrian bubble." He thought it was important for us to have our community but also being able to expand on it. Sometimes I do wonder how my life would be had I grown up in Brooklyn, but then I most likely would not be here.