My Dad

My Dad - Mein Vater/ Papa

Yahrzeit - This is the Yiddish term for the anniversary of someone's death. It is based on the German words: Jahr and Zeit or year and time.

It has been four years since my dad passed. He was quite the unique character. Quirky. Smart. Value-based.  He was one that believed deals could be made and honored by handshakes.  He agreed to buy a campground with a handshake. Of course, then, he had to explain to my mother what he did. Luckily, she was looking for a change and an adventure. Though, I doubt she would have agreed to the 17 years running a campground, had she known exactly what that meant.

He was quiet man until you got to know him. Once you did, his charm would melt your heart.  And then his humor would enthrall you.

Rather than dwell on the sadness - I have my mind racing to the humor in his stories from youth to being a parent.

When my dad was a kid, he was often in trouble. His parents would try to bring some structure and punishment to a challenging child. (Yes, he was very mischievous and was the boy who dipped the pig tails of the girl in front of him in the ink well to watch the color change throughout the entire class).  His punishment was often to be sent to his room. He was both the only child to his parents - and his aunt and uncle that lived on the other half of the house.  His uncle would not follow the rules of the parents and often treat "bubie" to a plate of cookies and a new comic book, which he would leave on the windowsill. A little loving sign that - he had him covered!

Probably Stephan's favorite story of my dad was when he was a kid and visited family in the city. He and his cousin, most likely one of the other four Joshuas tagged along with what was probably a yeshiva outing. They put their yarmulkes on and snuck into the baseball game with the others.

My dad never outgrew practical jokes. He was the parent that would scratch and pound on windows from the outside when I had a living room full of friends over watching a horror movie.

As the snow comes down, it seems fitting for this day. He loved the snow. Watching the snow fall today - in honor of my dad.