Tenement Museum Visit

My visit to the Tenement Museum on Orchard Street brought back the fondest memories of my grandfather, Solomon the Wise. When he and Masha (Mary) first came to this country, they settled into one of those cramped tenements on Orchard Street. From there, he was off to Cooper Union, where he eventually learned to be a pharmacist. When I was a little girl, I loved to visit his pharmacy, where I learned to love language and books.  I also came to appreciate the world of ideas, since my grandfather was a Zionist and a Socialist. Today at the museum I learned The US closed the doors to Italian and Jewish immigrants in the early part of the 20th century. I can not imagine a world without my grandfather and his peers-a world where humanity, compassion, decency and intellect reign supreme. He would have been so saddened by the state of negative rhetoric; he was such a soft-spoken and kind, compassionate man. So was my father Carl, his son, and though I have never been soft-spoken, ever, I can appreciate the great world they have given me. And so I can only offer my prayers to the heavens, where Solomon, Carl, Mary, Lillian, Herb and Sidney now rest: may goodness reign supreme. "Open the doors to all. Let the children of the rich and the poor take their seats together, and know of no distinction save that of industry, good conduct and intellect,"  said Townsend Harris. Let new immigrants spread their wealth in the world.  Let us always be humane like Carl and Solomon were.  And may the world pray with me!