“What sound does this letter make?” It’s an odd question for a fifteen-year-old to ask his father. The book in question was a Hebrew-Farsi dictionary which my grandfather began using in 1980. I was pointing to a letter on the Farsi side.

My grandparents fled Iran due to religious persecution and never returned. Fortunately, they found refuge in Israel, but unfortunately they had no possessions. Their family was torn apart; only two daughters were with my grandparents, while four children, including my father, sought shelter in New York. At the advanced age of 59, my grandfather began his life anew, using the dictionary as a lifeline to learn his new country’s language. He struggled, but eventually – because of the dictionary and his dedication – he found work.

Sometimes my fingers run through the dictionary and I try to peruse it, trying to find a word that can connect me to the two seemingly conflicting cultures. I’ve been asked, “How are you Iranian and Jewish?” Many people don’t realize that one is a nationality, the other is a religion, and both are strong cultures. I usually point to the Farsi side of the dictionary due to my regrettable lack of familiarity. I’ve become familiar with the Hebrew side of the dictionary by practicing Judaism and visiting Israel. By contrast, I wasn’t born in Iran, unfortunately never visited, and never fully experienced the culture that my grandfather did. Even so, I am still trying to learn the sounds of the letters.

-Benjy