ABSTRACT
I was born in Tel-Aviv, Israel, where being Jewish was my right at birth. When I was three years old I came to New York City speaking only Hebrew and with little explanation from my family about where we were or what was happening. Initially we lived with my maternal aunt and her family in their Bronx apartment; however, within a month of our arrival we moved into our own apartment in a building across the street. My mother's parents, eldest sister, and her family soon followed. In a short period of time we all lived within a one block radius of one another in what was then a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in the West Bronx. Our family was close, and we came together at least once every week. It was common for us to frequent the neighborhood synagogues during Jewish holidays where my father and brother sang in the choir. I attended a day camp and after school activities with one of my cousins. Interaction with family and the broader community of immigrants from Israel was constant.
