Relatively speaking ... ESRA Chairman Baruch Tanaman (left) with newly-found cousin Geoff Isaacs. Also pictured is ESRA volunteer Hazel Perez (second left) and author/speaker Mimi Tanaman  Photo: Elaine Black

It was a hot and humid June evening when we gathered in Bess Hoffman's Herzliya Pituach house to hear Geoff Isaacs story, and we were all grateful for the air conditioning.  We were meeting to hear the amazing story of Geoff's discovery, at the age of 63, that he was adopted and about Mimi Tanaman's book on the subject, Lost & Found.

Mimi introduced Geoff and explained that her book is a fictional account of his story, using fictional names.  She read to us from the beginning of the book, telling us how Geoff came to hear of his adoption.

Geoff was living in New Zealand, having been born in wartime England

and raised there, when he received a letter one day from his "brother" telling him of his adoption.  Geoff talked about his utter shock and then determination to find his birth parents.

He explained how his stubborn nature enabled him to persevere in his search, which took him to England and eventually to the High Court.  His birth parents had been unmarried neighbors in World War II Birmingham, England, and had shared an air raid shelter.  His father had been a British Jew.

Geoff told us how he believed that this explained the feeling he had always had that he was "different" from his adopted family.

Geoff decided he had to find out more about his Jewish side and went to live in Safed for a while.  His wife, Jenny, joined him in his adventure, or as he described it, jumping into another world.

After a period in Safed, they both decided to undertake Orthodox conversion to Judaism by the Safed Beth Din.  Geoff told us many details about the conversion process.

As a result of the whole process, Geoff and Jenny now have a new country, a new faith, strength and new connections, such as Geoff's newly found cousin, ESRA Chairman, Baruch Tanaman.

Our thanks to the Herzliya committee (and for their refreshments) and to Geoff and Mimi for a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

You can read the story in www.esramagazine.com/blog/post/life-changing-discovery or the review of the book www.esramagazine.com/blog/post/adopted