Thousands of Ukrainians are coming to Portugal. Emigration has been normal in hundred years, to many countries. Izidor Soifer was introspective. He read a lot, listened to music, opera and motivated his children Mery & Jack to read, listen, analyze, understand other ethnicities and groups and reflect on the reasons for the behaviours, the occurrences.
He didn't talk about his past, nor relatives, he wanted to forget about it. He took advantage of his professional competence to have a decent job, which gave him enough to live and use his time to do what he liked, educate his children. He was flexible, listening, adapting, contextualizing. He had a strong sense of community. In May 1945, signed the truce/peace, he celebrated this much more than Jack's birthday. He went out into the streets hugging his neighbours, singing “Peace!”
The values that Izidor tried to pass on to his children were social justice. That is, he fought, like J-Jacques Russeau, for equity of opportunity, every child and young person should have school, health and shelter so that, depending on his own effort, focus and talent, he could reach the top of a career. So it would be easier to share a support to grow.
Izidor warned of the difference between intention and Action. In all deistic religions we are urged to follow commandments. Prayers, in almost all languages, convey good intentions. Priests, pastors, rabbis, ministers, all guide us how to act.
Many do or tolerate that some, with good intentions, do or allow to do bad deeds. How to pass this on to children? Dogmatic norms? Or concrete examples, asking each one what he thinks and why? Analyzing the behavior of a known figure or of ourselves?
Ukraine for centuries has been as small as Portugal. Russia had almost half of its now territory, Polen, Moldavia, Bulgaria had the other half. After 2nd WW, when Russia had half of Europe and the Allies other half and they should deal lands, in 1948 Russia allowed part of its former land to go to Ukraine.
Current war is destroying most of what Ukrainians fought in 80 years to build up, homes, schools, culture. It is being destroyed and its president don´t want to negotiate peace.
Who is losing most, folks? Who is winning most, the arms industry?
