The quintessential father-in-law in the Torah is Yitro. A man of many names and facets, his wide-ranging background includes being a shepherd, priest of Midyan, father of seven daughters, and, ultimately, an important advisor to Moshe.
Like Yitro, my father-in-law, Efraim Goldstein, is a multi-faceted individual. While his family originally hails from Eastern Europe, he is second-generation Colombian. He moved to Miami as a teen to further his yeshiva education and then to New York for college, where he settled to raise his family.
My shvare’s eclectic background makes him uniquely positioned to offer advice on a wide array of topics. His Eastern European heritage is to thank for an astute gemarakup, used daily amid his fifth cycle of Daf Yomi. His Latin upbringing fostered an appreciation for a good cup of coffee and excellent rhythm. His years in Miami underscore the value of a Jewish education, and all the perks of warmer climates, including the beach, pool, and shvitz. Adulthood in New York forged a savvy businessman and knowledgeable engineer, who has built countless yeshivas, shuls, and mikvahs throughout the Five Boroughs.
Yitro teaches us the importance of having a confidant in your family, who sees things through a different set of eyes, and can be trusted for sage advice. Thankfully, my shvare serves that role in our family, providing (usually helpful) guidance that my wife and I have relied on through the years.
