You Never Know Who You're Going to Meet

Lately, I've been enrolling seniors on Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage plans offered through AARP by UnitedHealthcare.  Last week I met a powerhouse named Isaac Stavisky. There was something special about him and I couldn't quite put my finger on it.  I did a little digging.  Here's what President Ronald Reagan had to say about him in a speech to B’nai B’rith in 1984.

In July of 1983 it was my privilege to meet a brave refugee from Nicaragua, Isaac Stavisky. He told me about the 50 Jewish families who had emigrated to Nicaragua from Eastern Europe since the 1920′s, and about the tragedy that befell them. But let me read you Isaac’s own words:

“Nicaraguan Jews never encountered anti-Semitism until the Sandinistas started their revolution . . . Graffiti by Sandinistas was widespread, with attacks on Jews and their religion. One was, `Death to the Jewish pigs.’ In 1978 the Sandinistas sent a strong message to the entire community when the synagogue was attacked by five Sandinistas wearing face handkerchiefs. They set the building on fire by throwing gasoline in the main entrance doors, shouting PLO victory slogans and anti-Jewish defamatory language . . . Once the Sandinistas came to power . . . they moved swiftly against Jews. Jewish-owned properties were among the first to be confiscated and Jews were forced into exile.”  Permit me to add that on the first anniversary of the Sandinista revolution, Yasser Arafat visited Nicaragua and spoke these words: “What the Nicaraguan people did in Nicaragua will be done by the Palestinians.”

Today, Mr Stavisky travels to Nicaragua once a month to oversee his successful import export company. The more seniors I meet, the more privileged I feel.  They all have a deep passion for their causes, whether it's raising money for the local YMCA learn to swim program, running a company, writing that first novel, or mentoring at their place of worship.  

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