Zadie never made it to Israel
This is written by Ron Davis, written on May 25, 2026 on Memorial Day
All four of my grandparents came to the United States as teenagers before World War I. They came through Ellis Island. They were orthodox Jews and each came alone escaping Pogroms in Eastern Europe and Russia. They left the rest of their families back home in Russia, Poland, and Lithuania. They hoped to make a new life in America and that the rest of the families would follow. Unfortunately, only a couple made it before World War II broke out and the rest of the family was lost in the Holocaust.
When I was a young teenager I remember talking with my grandfather (He was Zadie to me my whole life) about Israel. I asked him, “Zadie, would you like to go to Israel?” He said “Yes, but how can I? Look at me.” You see Zadie had a stroke when he was in his early 60s and was paralyzed on his left side.
About two decades later his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren have made it to Israel. Why do I bring this up today, Memorial Day?
My grandparents came to America because they believed it was a country that honored God. They wanted to live in a country that they believed was moral, a land of opportunity, and a country of religious freedom. They saw a light and they followed that light. They were observant Jews who worked hard and had strong family values. That is the family and life that my parents grew up in.
My father grew up with an understanding of America and who he was as a Jewish American. He was a true patriot in the 1940s. I want to share a short part of his story with you.
As a young boy he dropped out of high school after his freshman year and went to work in the family’s kosher butcher shop in Brooklyn, New York. One Fall day there was an ad in the New York paper advertising try outs, Yankee Stadium, 1:00 O’clock. My dad, 19-years old at the time, went to the stadium to try out for the Yankees. To make a long story short, they signed him to a contract to pitch for the Yankees. He was set to go to their Triple A farm team in the spring of 1942.
Well, you know what happened on December 7, 1941 – Pearl Harbor. This 19-year old boy who had a contract with the Yankees chose instead to serve the country he loved. He enlisted in the US Navy and spent most of the war in the Aleutian Islands as a chief pharmacist mate (Medic).
When he had some free time he played baseball where he was stationed on Amchitka Island and got to play with the likes of fellas who were passing through like Dom DiMaggio and Phil Rizzuto. They told him, “Hey kid, you ought to try out when this war is over,” to which my dad said, “I already have a contract.”
The point is that these are the ones who were called the Greatest Generation. The ones who put everything aside. Put it all behind them to fight for the freedom that we have enjoyed for so long in America.
My dad came home after the war, married my Mom on the day he was discharged from the Navy (He used to like to say he dropped the anchor and picked up the ball and chain. My Mom had a great sense of humor). They built a life and had a family (that’s where I come in) in New York and then California. Thirty years after he was discharged from the Navy, he met and became a follower of his Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). He realized his Messiah had come and will return at the end of the age and he spent the rest of his life waiting for that day. He went home to be with his Lord in July of 2,000.
From a biblical perspective, we don’t know how long it will be until Jesus returns. I believe that we are close and I also know that America does not appear in the Scriptures in the last days.
I also believe that God established and protected America (I admit that American history was not always good) as a place that could also be a shelter.
However, in the end of world history the focus will be on Israel and God’s fulfillment of His promises to that nation. That being said, if the Lord doesn’t return for 10, 20, or even 30 years, I hope the younger generations, on this Memorial Day, will have kindled in them a desire to look back at what made this country great in the past. Read the documents of our founding fathers, see God’s hand in the establishment of America and consider the World War II generation who put God, family, and country first. And take another look at this country as Zadie did, a place of freedom and God’s provision for a time, however long that time is or will be.
*** This WWII Navy veteran left his contract with the Yankees after the war in 1945 to be a husband, father, and grandfather. When I was a kid growing up, I remember he saw all of us neighborhood kids knocking around the street without any clear direction. He pulled us all together and started a Boy’s Club, which grew over the years of our growing up time. He took his values that made him join the Navy during the war and instilled them in the youth of that next generation.
About The Jewish Road
At the heart of The Jewish Road lies a passion ignited by a father-son duo, Ron and Matt Davis. Our journey began with a simple yet profound desire: to bridge the gap in understanding that has kept two faith communities apart for too long. We're here to help Christians connect with the roots of their faith and for Jews to explore the life and teachings of Jesus with an open heart.
Imagine a world where every believer, be they Jewish or Christian, not only knows their faith but truly understands its origins and interconnectedness. We strive to restore the Jewish essence of the Gospel, offering insights that deepen knowledge, bolster faith, and propel the growth of the Kingdom. The narrative of faith, we believe, is a two-act play where both acts are essential for a comprehensive grasp of the story. By uniting these acts, we're presenting a more holistic and enriching perspective.
Life is too short to wander without knowing the full essence of your beliefs. Whether you're attending a synagogue or a church, there's so much more to discover. The Jewish Road is here to guide, enlighten, and, most importantly, bring both halves of the story together. Join us on this journey; together
