Caring Citizens Solve Mystery
All the information that was written on the envelope
I am a regular walker and like taking a route that goes through the public gardens that run parallel to Bilu Street and Paamonim Street in Raanana.
One morning while out walking, I planned to deliver an envelope by hand with a mazal tov card containing a cash gift to friends who'd just had a new grandchild. I put the envelope in my pouch and decided not to close the zip so the card wouldn't crease. But guess what? Without me noticing, the envelope fell out of my pouch.
I quickly retraced my steps, but of course the envelope was nowhere to be found. I was very upset. I phoned Raanana municipality and the local police, who told me I could go to the Kfar Saba police station in person to report it in case it had been found. I decided against going to the police station - not in the time of Corona.
At home I prepared another envelope with a new card and delivered it to my friends.
The envelope here takes up the rest of the story
As told to Miriam Barasch
I am a simple blue envelope. On a windy day in Raanana, I was sitting happily in Evelyn Grausz's pouch while she was on her daily walk. On reaching Hapaamonim Street, I suddenly found myself on the footpath but luckily the wind blew me into a safer haven - the entrance to a building. I was picked up and put on top of the mail boxes.Various people looked at me, did not recognize the names Evelyn and Miguel Grausz and moved on. I remained there, disowned and lonely for several days.
Then Covid 19 attacked the world and I thought I was lost forever until a lady wearing blue came, read what was on me, but was hesitant to pick me up. Her enquiries to other people in the building if they knew Evelyn were to no avail.
The next day, the maintenance lady came by and picked me up. I was not sure what my destiny would be. She opened me up and discovered a greeting card for the birth of a baby and a gift that Evelyn had placed inside me for safe keeping. Because she was honest, she put me under the doormat of the person in charge of the house committee who was self-isolating during Covid 19. I saw the name Miriam on the door.
Some minutes later, the woman in blue I had already met, Miriam, cautiously opened the door, picked me up with gloves and opened me up.It seemed to me that she had a strong sense of justice and was driven by determination to find a way to return me to my owner. It seemed to me that she was challenged to solve the complex puzzle.
Patiently, I lay on her desk while she searched Bezek 144 but couldn't find a number. Then she proceeded to look for any clue that might help her to find Evelyn. Her perseverance paid off and she discovered various significant details about the Grausz family: Their grandson Omer was a soccer player at HaPoel Raanana; Evelyn and Miguel were supporters and donors to various community projects including HaBayit Shel Benji for lone soldiers and had made a tribute to Jewish War Veterans in Baltimore in honor of Miguel's mother Esther, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor who had been liberated by American military forces.
I could see that Miriam was deeply moved. More significantly, she herself is the granddaughter of Elsa who also came from central Europe but did not survive the Holocaust. Here she had in her hand a testimony of a grandmother who did survive.Now she was even more determined to find Evelyn and Miguel.
Miriam continued in her search and found that in the online version of ESRA Magazine (issue no. 200), there was a reference to Evelyn and Miguel on the page of donors. I waited patiently knowing that I was in good hands and soon I would be home through the help of the social network of ESRA.
Miriam, a member of ESRA, telephoned the National ESRA Office, which is fortunately being administered from people's homes during the Covid 19 crisis and the call was answered immediately. Having received permission from Evelyn, ESRA supplied Miriam with her number, and she telephoned her to tell her I had been found. Evelyn was so happy and surprised to get the news as she was sure I was lost forever.
I am still resting at Miram's home feeling secure and content as my return is not considered essential and I am waiting for when it is permissible to move more than 100 meters from the house for Evelyn to pick me up.
And the moral of the tale is . . .
This is another example of how ESRA is an amazing organization. Even during these difficult days when the office is closed, staffers still answer the phone and take the time to help solve a small problem.It is such a comforting feeling in the middle of these insane times.
Thank you ESRA, Sandra and Miriam.I hope that by the time this is published, this nightmare will be over and we will all be healthy and back to socializing with our family and friends.
Evelyn Grausz
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