In a conversation with my godfather, Mr. Harry, about science

Mr. Harry: Do you know the portion of the shmoneh esrei that begins modim anachnu lach
Ari: that’s my favorite part
Mr. Harry: Some say it is the most important part of the shmoneh esrei. It praises God for the miracles that happen—
Ari: every moment.
Mr. Harry: bechol et erev, boker, vetzohoraim. For most people, nature is just there. It just is. Some people have an appreciation of its aesthetic qualities, and that is well and good. But for most people….Do you see that leaf hanging there with that seed? Who has been thinking about it? Nobody. Genes? Genes!
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At home, I found my father sitting with his guitar and a book of songs, in Yiddish and English. He told me that today is the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Here are the words to one of the songs he played and sang for me, which he says was written at the time of the Holocaust. It has been played by many musicians, including my father and Joan Baez:

DONA DONA
On a wagon bound for market,
There’s a calf with a mournful eye.
High above him there’s a swallow
Winging swiftly through the sky.

- How the winds are laughing
They laugh with all their might
Laugh and laugh the whole day through
And half the summers night

Chorus: Dona, Dona, Dona, Dona,
Dona, Dona, Dona, Don…
Dona, Dona, Dona, Dona,
Dona, Dona, Dona, Don…

“Stop complaining,” said the farmer,
“who told you a calf to be,
why don’t you have wingsto fly with
like the swallow so proud and free?”

- How the winds are laughing
They laugh with all their might.
Laugh and laugh the whole day through
And half the summers night.

Chorus: Dona, Dona, Dona, Dona,
Dona, Dona, Dona, Don…
Dona, Dona, Dona, Dona,
Dona, Dona, Dona, Don…

Calves are easily bound and slaughtered
Never knowing the reason, why,
But whoever treasures freedom
Like the swallow has learned to fly.

- How the winds are laughing
They laugh with all their might.
Laugh and laugh the whole day through
And half the summers night.

Chorus: Dona, Dona, Dona, Dona,
Dona, Dona, Dona, Don…
Dona, Dona, Dona, Dona,
Dona, Dona, Dona, Don…