Those were the Days

Oscar Felix (1893-1980) was born in the Ukraine, in the village of Brailov. The village doctor doubled as the town barber. From day one, Oscar was introduced to a cold, cruel and hungry world. His father had died six months before he was born and left his mother with so much debt, that she could not afford to buy straw to heat the house. Thirst and hunger were the staple of Oscar's life and that of his six siblings. Humor reflected their social standing: When does a Jew sing? When he is hungry. Against all odds, Oscar Felix made it out. By the age of twenty, he had taken the most important decision of his life, thanks to Thomas Edison and a box that he had invented, in a far away land called America. A wealthy lawyer had bought a phonograph and every Friday evening, he would put the phonograph on his balcony for the entire population in the shtetl to enjoy.

Oscar Felix introduces us to a slew of characters from the shtetl. The poverty is unimaginable. Yet, Felix has his mind set on one thing and one thing only, and he lets nothing distract him. After an adventurous journey, by way of New York, he finally ends up in Santa Monica, California and instantly knows he is home. He is lucky to escape before every Jew in Brailov, including his own family, is buried alive by the Nazis.

His is a timeless story. There are millions of Oscar Felixes out there today, with the same goal in mind; how to reach the greatest nation on earth.