OK, OK, so I’m exaggerating a bit…

But ever since we started planning this NY trip, I’ve been gripped with fear about maneuvering through a busy subway with four children, my parents, and “Wrong-Way-Gilad”.

Will they be able to get on and off fast enough?

Will we get separated?

Will they annoy other passengers to the point of violence?

Much to my relief, the whole trip was a pleasure. It was... Read more »»]]> I was once an avid subway rider in Tokyo. I loved the precision and reliability of the whole Japanese railway system.

But ever since we started planning this NY trip, I’ve been gripped with fear about maneuvering through a busy subway with four children, my parents, and “Wrong-Way-Gilad”.

Will they be able to get on and off fast enough?

Will we get separated?

Will they annoy other passengers to the point of violence?

Much to my relief, the whole trip was a pleasure. It was a far superior experience compared to the drive to New Jersey.

And most importantly: no one was lost or beaten up by fellow passengers.

And then you visit the displays.

Hospital rooms, dormitories, the inspection hall, detention areas, and more. We even saw a Sefer Tehillim (Book of Psalms) handed to Nathan Solomon in 1924 by the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, right here at Ellis Island.

In addition to the long lines to reboard the ferry, the punishing heat, and the not so rare local rudeness, we also had fatigue to contend with.

Sheina Shira was inconsolable at one point. Every time we walked, and especially in close proximity to crowds, she just melted down. Then it dawned on us – Down where she was (at knee... Read more »»]]> The trip from Liberty Island to Ellis Island is a bit more than a mere hop, especially in the tourism season.

In addition to the long lines to reboard the ferry, the punishing heat, and the not so rare local rudeness, we also had fatigue to contend with.

Sheina Shira was inconsolable at one point. Every time we walked, and especially in close proximity to crowds, she just melted down. Then it dawned on us – Down where she was (at knee level), the cute little short thing, down below the canopy of hot sweaty people – The heat and stagnant air must have been even worse than where our faces were!

So, we started the island hop (from Liberty to Ellis), with Sheina Shira on my shoulder. She was reminded how cute others think she is, as fellow crowd victims oo’d and ah’d over her. And I was reminded how much I like having a baby on my shoulder.

This time, even though Lady Liberty is air... Read more »»]]> Last time I was here, I made it all the way to the crown. That was long before the recent remodel. The windows in the crown were fogged up, scratched up, and I almost gave up trying to see anything through them. Still, I have fond memories of that climb, thank G-d, even though it was so hot and stuffy that I felt my very skin was melting off my face and body.

This time, even though Lady Liberty is air conditioned, and I have to believe they did something about those windows, the plan was less ambitious: Visit Liberty Island, walk around the statue, take some pictures, horse around, etc.

And wonder of wonders: I saw more of the monument than I did last time! Did you ever notice the intricacies of Lady Liberty’s robes? Did you ever notice the visible sole of her right foot?

We met caribbean street musicians who played Jewish music for us. We got pushed around by Brittons, Germans, Frenchies, and various sundry Eurotrash that apparently felt some sort of birthright to skip ahead in line while complaining about the heat,... Read more »»]]> Two hours on line. At least six bottles of water. One almost inedible energy bar (we had more bars with us, but they really were difficult to consume). Three bathroom trips. And no less than thirty tissues and napkins used for sweat management.

We met caribbean street musicians who played Jewish music for us. We got pushed around by Brittons, Germans, Frenchies, and various sundry Eurotrash that apparently felt some sort of birthright to skip ahead in line while complaining about the heat, the humidity, the length of the line, and even the poor signage. We were passed in line by large numbers of Israelis who seemed just as irritated as the Europeans and by the very same issues, plus their apparent belief that they should somehow be excused from any security processes because they have been living with these security hassles longer than any other nation on earth…

Along the way, though, we also found some fun photo ops. And I, for one, felt encouraged by the apparent fact that Lady Liberty is still important to some people.

On the way to the line for the ferry, we came across “The Sphere”. This was the 45,000 lbs steel and bronze sculpture that stood in the center of the fountain at the World Trade Center Tobin Plaza (part of the grounds between the WTC buildings).

This striking work was made by Fritz Koenig (a German artist who is also known... Read more »»]]> We disembarked from the double decker tour bus at the Battery Park stop (closest stop to the Liberty/Ellis Islands ferry terminal).

On the way to the line for the ferry, we came across “The Sphere”. This was the 45,000 lbs steel and bronze sculpture that stood in the center of the fountain at the World Trade Center Tobin Plaza (part of the grounds between the WTC buildings).

This striking work was made by Fritz Koenig (a German artist who is also known for a varity of Holocaust memorials in concentration camps and in Israel). It stood atop it’s famous perch from sometime in 1971 (I don’t know the official start date), until September 11, 2001.

The sculpture was intended to symbolize world peace (or, perhaps, to comment on the lack thereof). The original piece depicted a spherical form that was separating or breaking to show some of the heavy dark internals as well as discontinuous exterior bronze surfaces. It looked a globe (a world) that was broken, yet still together. This “broken” sphere was positioned atop a heavy pedastal themed similarly to the sphere itself.

The events of 9/11 added a variety of dents and holes to the structure, but the overall form remains remarkably similar to it’s original state.

It was moved to Battery Park less than a year after the mass murderous acts of war that will (or at least should) live in infamy.

“The Sphere” now stands alongside an eternal flame that was lit on September 11, 2002. It once symbolized world peace by [apparently] commenting on the lack of it. “The Sphere” now memorializes the victims of an immoral and unprovoked attack against our people and our values, by displaying physical evidence of a particularly reprehensible act of war by the enemies of decency, peace, and liberty.