One Degree of Separation

February 26

Other than knowing Lynn, Linda and I were strangers to the participants in the Tsad Kadima Hike for Hope. Or at least strangers until I learned that I was separated by two and often just one degree from many. Is this because there are only 13 million Jews in the world, Jews travel widely, and Israel is an obvious point of concentration? After the introductions on Wednesday night, Gary, an economist in the Ministry of Health, who made aliyah about 30 years ago came over to let me know that he had earned his public health degree at UNC, over 20 years ago. In a subsequent chat I learned that not only did we have mutual friends, but a former girlfriend of his is now a colleague of mine in the Department of Maternal and Child Health. Early the next morning, as we were packing our gear, David asked if I knew Gladys in Chapel Hill. David is a member of Kibbutz Gesher where one of Gladys’s sons has lived for many years. While on the trail I started up a conversation with Daniel Paller. We were discussing our experiences as Jews growing up when in passing he mentioned Cleveland. “Are you related to Ed Paller?” I asked. “I had him for a teacher during a summer program.” “He was my father,” he responded. Daniel and his family had also been members of Fairmount Synagogue, as had my family. I was beginning to feel that without too much exploration I would learn that I had relationships with everyone in this group. Several hours into the hike, I met up with Jeffrey, a delightful gentleman, probably 10 years older than I, who works as a translator after having earned a degree in comparative literature many years ago. His son had decided to attend college in the U.S. then stayed to earn a law degree, and after a short stay in New York, is now working for a large firm in Washington, DC. Because my brother is a lawyer and many friends are lawyers, I was curious to know the firm. At that point I should not have been surprised that there was a connection. I immediately recognized the name of the firm, because a good friend from my high school days is currently one of the senior partners at this very large firm with headquarters in New York. If I knew how to speak to camels that were wandering in the distance as we ended the hike, I probably would have discovered relationships with them as well.