I was pleased to be able to be a link between Brooklyn and the Bronx in the late 1940s and Rome today, on behalf of the Weinbaum family. I had a very nice lunch and conversation with journalist Eric Salerno, a reporter and editor on Israel and the Middle East for Il Messaggero. He, along with his father and mother, were deported from the United States in the 1950s for their political views (thanks to the McCarren Act). Here is his book about the harassment by the FBI -- a story which deserves to be translated into English. Eric's mother was a friend of Carol Weinbaum's mother, from the textile factories of the Garment District in Manhattan. After many years of trying to find Eric's mother, Carol found Eric and the connection was made.
I met him in his apartment building which dates back to the 700s [sic] and we had a great meal nearby, talking about Jewish life in Rome, the life of a journalist writing about Israel (not always pleasant!), and his various books -- on the Mossad in Italy, and Italian concentration camps in Libya.
We have a next plan for him and his partner Suzanne to come up to the Academy for dinner. I have no doubt there will be many people eager to speak with him.
As wonderful as the waiter was, his photo skills were not the best.
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