Rapha and Zaida

This painting was based on an old photograph found by my son-in-law. It shows my son-in-law as a young child, with his grandfather holding him on his lap. What is especially poignant in this photograph is the fact that the grandfather was a Holocaust survivor who came to Canada, married another Holocaust survivor, and together they had four children. Hanging on the wall behind the couch are the wedding photos of all four of their children. In fact, one of the photographs is my son-in-law’s parents. I think the painting represents survival, and the ultimate defeat by the Jewish people of Nazi Germany. All three generations are in this photograph. Although the grandfather has since passed away, he and his wife lived to see a flourishing family, including 4 children, several grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren.