Chanani, Meet the Real Superheroes

So, I couldn't hook a R' Lau sighting for Chanan, which truly disappointed me. Imagine growing up and one day realizing, "I met Elie Wiesel when I was 5." That's what this would have been like, but more, in my mind, for my son.

Fast forward to yesterday: Due to a blackout, I bumped into my old friend, Lisa at the JCC, who just got a new job starting next week: Claims for Holocaust Survivors. I vented my feelings on making sure our 5+ year olds start meeting survivors - so they see who they are, that they existed, and they grew up - and later on understand what a miracle that is and know it happened. Not even hearing the words "Holocaust" or "survivor" now, but just registering a memory of real people for later. It happened that there was a Survivors lunch scheduled for the next day and they needed volunteers. I would bring Chanan.

I asked him last night if he would come with me the next day to volunteer at a very special lunch for some very special older people, older than Bobby and Zaidy. He agreed then he started asking:

C: Who are they?
Me: They used to be superheroes.
C: Really?
Me: Yup, but like all people, they get older and they look like all the other old people. You can't even tell. They helped us, now it's our turn to help them.
C: What did they do?
Me: They went through a war (and helped save the Jewish people). I'll tell you more about it when you get older.

I picked him up from school at 12. He handed out the fortune cookies and put a smile on several faces. There were about 40 people in the room. I hope he'll come with me again and we eventually get to know some of the folks.

Tonight, when Chanani went to bed, he asked again if I could tell him more about those superheroes we helped out today.

I will, when you get older. Hopefully, some of them will too.