My wife and I traveled to Santorini, Greece, this summer, in honor of our 20th wedding anniversary—with major thanks to my siblings-in-law who offered to look after our kids!
It’s been an incredible two decades having a full partner by my side, and in some ways feels like just yesterday that we met and married.
Santorini was the perfect place to celebrate. It felt magical. One of the most ancient islands set on an active volcano—Hashem’s wonders are on full display.
We set off on a hike one morning, from Fira to Oia—a hike most tourists do. It takes approximately three hours and passes through the most breathtaking scenery and picturesque villages.
The only items I brought along were a water bottle and my tefillin, in case I met another Jew.
As we hiked, I started conversations with every passerby. We met tourists from every part of the world. Australians, Europeans, Americans, Africans, Asians—you name it, they were there. We had some great conversations, but alas, nobody was Jewish.
Finally, towards the end of the hike, we met a young guy and his mother, hiking in the opposite direction. Before I could even say anything, he approached me and said hello. I could tell he was Jewish instantly—only Jews greet me like that.
I asked him if he’d like to put on tefillin, and despite the blistering head he agreed. He hadn’t used tefillin in years, but, here, with the breathtaking vista around us, he was thrilled to.
So there we were, two Jews in the Santorini mountains, wrapping tefillin and saying the Shema—a powerful moment indeed.
This is the power of our nation. I met people from dozens of countries throughout the hike, but we didn’t share that deep, essential bond. When I finally met this young Jewish man, we felt instantly connected, because we are, after all, family.
The greatest gift children can give their parents is getting along with their siblings. So now, as we approach Rosh Hashanah, let’s resolve to strengthen our bond with our Jewish brothers and sisters, wherever they may be.