EFTA00304840.pdf

January 20. 2016 Dear Jeffrey, Around one table, in different locations, most of them exotic to me (even the town house in New York seems exotic with your special touch), you gather the most extravagant, influential, bright thinkers, magicians, musicians, linguists, philosophers and mathematicians, the most affluent people in the world and those who live on salaries and hope. Outspoken and shy, colorful and straight, very young at the beginning of their careers and old well based achievers, presidents and princes, autistics and Nobel Prize laureates - all have one united characteristic in common "we are friends of Jeffrey". It is like an "open sesame" code of a friendship. A group which doesn't have anything in common but one: they were all invited to sit around your table and talk, talk, talk. There is no limit to your curiosity. You are like a closed book to many of them but you know everything about everyone. Each of the "Jeffreys' clan" enjoys speaking about himself, as people tend to do from time to time. And you know how to ask questions. You know how to make people speak. To stimulate their grey material to think differently, in a dialectical manner, out of the box. You "travel" far and beyond without getting out from your "shelters". Just by bringing together the people from the four corners of the world. With them you get the sounds, accents, looks, descriptions flavors and colors of the far and unknown world. Each time I come, I know I will be gladly surprised. I never know whom I will find around this huge and welcoming table, but your steady staff, who is with you years, working with loyalty and care and love to you. But I am always sure there will be good surprises. A combination that your fertile imagination thought will be beneficial and interesting to all around you. And you sit there, with tens of eyeglasses at hand reach, ready to deviate a conversation which seems to repeat itself or become less interesting to one or the other. If I try to find a parallel of "Jeffreys' clan" phenomenon, I can only think about the 18th and 19th century in Europe, especially the literary Saloons of Paris and Wien, kind of gatherings that brought people together for a good and enriching exchange of thoughts. And to tel the truth - I'm not sure they were as good a yours. And if I try to find a definition, title or a dictionary explanation under your name, I would certainly find: 'THE ART OF BEING HUMANLY CURIOUS, A COLLECTOR OF PEOPLE". May you enjoy long and healthy life and may all of us, your friends, enjoy your table for many more years to come. Happy birthday, all the best, Ehud & Nili EFTA00304840