August 9, 2012

By Audrey Brooks

The faces of our grandparents are with me in early July as I leave for the Jewish Federations of North America Campaign Chairs and Directors Mission to Odessa and Israel with my sister, Donna Moser. Grandpa Nathan and Grandma Sadie came to the United States in 1899 from Odessa; now, we are making the return trip.

Along with Marlyne Freedman, senior vice president, and Deanna Evenchik, campaign chair of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona, we join 100 others from 34 communities. From Odessa to Tel Aviv, from Haifa to Jerusalem, we make an extraordinarily emotional journey filled with unforgettable faces and stories. Read more