When Strangers Asked my father...

his nationality, he didn’t name a country. He answered, “I’m Jewish!” 

As I grew older, I began to understand my father’s dissociation with his native land of Poland. 

My father immigrated to America due to a human low pressure system of nationalism, hate, bigotry and racism. He had to leave or be murdered. It was as simple as that. 

To read more of my father’s immigration please click on:

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2017/06/in-1937-my-grandfather-bought-my-dad-a.html

When Sid arrived in New York City, he discovered he didn’t leave Anti-Semitism behind. He had to face daily prejudices in the New World too. It made him gravitate toward his own kind. Sid’s friends and acquaintances were mostly Jewish. He trusted them after experiencing first hand how others of different faiths mistreated the “Chosen People.”

All this being said, my father was civil to everyone he met. He was just more wary around non-Jews.

If a Gentile (non-Jew) treated Sid with respect, a smile and good manners, that person was fully accepted into his fold. I noticed the transition when he’d exclaim to my friends, “Please! You don’t have to call me Mr. Sambur. You can call me Sid.” At that moment in time, they too were honorary Members of the Tribe. 

My favorite example was when Sid was visiting me in Colorado while I was working for the US Forest Service. On my day off, I took Sid to the Devil’s Head fire lookout tower. Dave Martinez was on duty that day. Dave was a toothy, funny, easy going and friendly Mexican-American. He gave my father a class on how to be a fire lookout. He wowed my father in minutes. When it was time for us to leave, Sid went over and shook Dave’s hand. He looked Dave in the eye and said, “It was my pleasure to meet you.” I knew he meant it.

When we were driving away, my father said to me, “Jeffy! I’ve never met a Mexican-American before. Are they all as nice as Dave?” 

So here’s my point. We all harbor prejudices. We can overcome these human frailties by following the Golden Rule. A little bit of civility can go a long way. Teach your children well. My father did.

Final point: Recently in Joseph, Oregon a stranger asked me what my nationality was.

My answer? “I’m a Jewish American.”

He came back with, “That’s not a nationality.”

It is for me.

Make America Civil Again.

Jeff