ב"ה

Grandmothers

Spaetzle: If You Make It, Be Sure to Share It!
I cannot separate my identity from my past, residing happily in my European and American Jewish worlds
The Hidden Bag With a Thousand $1 Bills
It was surreal walking into my Aunt Vera’s apartment after her death.
Learning From the 105-Year-Old Life (and Death) of Aunt Bernice
It’s not easy to be old and to lose your cherished independence. It takes great courage to not despair when the prospect of continued decline looms before one. She was a warrior for life until she could no longer be.
Kasha and Candlesticks: Memories of Bubby Eta
"When I was young in the Ukraine, most of the time potato and carrots and sweet potato tzimmes were all we had to eat. But Shabbat was always special."
The Sweet Lull of My Soviet Grandmother’s Lullaby
It was brave and dangerous to sing Jewish songs, for the Soviet Union made any religious expression punishable by law. Yet millions of Soviet Jews sang to their children.
G-d’s Time Machine, by Way of a Modern Laptop
My breath caught in my throat. The picture was so clear I felt I had walked into it.
How My Grandparents’ Lessons Led Me to a Soup Kitchen
I stepped into that world with preconceived notions of folks who just didn’t try hard enough … and I was so wrong!
Etched in the Memories of Bubby and Me:
Bubby, who had such trouble articulating any words, would somehow sing along with me. This was the prayer she had learned as a little child back in the alter heim—the old world, the world before the war.
A Grandmother’s (and Granddaughter’s) Wish Fulfilled
You never really knew what happened to your oldest brother, Chaim. Did he, too, perish in the war? Perhaps he survived and changed his name?
The Russians and the Nazis Couldn't Crush Her Spirit
Winter 1945. The Death March. For those who weren’t there, no words can truly describe it, and for those who were there, no words are needed.
The Nazi Trove and Returning Lost Art to Jewish Heirs
It seemed to many like a happy ending: a museum working to find the paintings’ rightful owners; a German government committed to righting the wrongs of the Nazi era; grateful heirs finally reunited with their plundered property. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy.
The Beggar my Grandmother Saved
Although I never met my grandmother, I believe that if she could see me, she would be proud that I have continued her legacy of kindness—one that is deeply embedded in the Judaism she practiced.
The Tante Triumvirate
I had three maternal great-aunts, matriarchal figures who were treated like priceless antiques.
My Grandmother and Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala’s story is unusual, but her family situation reminded me of my grandmother’s. My grandmother and her parents also left Austria at the last possible moment. They also left behind relatives and friends. Grandma even initially lived in London for two years, at the same time and in the same neighborhood as the Prawers.
The Grandmother They Never Knew
I wish you could have felt her gaze on you, full of wonder and love, making you feel protected and cherished, as I did throughout my life. She would have thought you were little miracles, just like I do . . .
The Blessing of Normalcy
For us, it was, indeed, a life-changing moment. But in truth, there wasn't much to report about the whole event. It was a textbook delivery of a healthy baby girl...
From Generation to Generation
My little girl, who just yesterday was crawling on my kitchen floor, is going to be a mommy. How is that possible? She can’t even make dentists appointments for herself...
Grandma Bella's Pickle Cure
I was lectured, scolded, and told I might never be allowed out of the house again... her precious daughter was imperfect. Grandma Rachel finally intervened and suggested I visit Grandma Bella till the crisis passed...
The Heart of a Jewish Woman
Her mother had given her a Jewish soul. But it was these four parents of her parents who reached across a generation to give her the gift of a Jewish heart...
Bubbying
I thought about doting grandmothers who ask, “By the way, have I shown you the pictures of my brilliant, gorgeous grandchildren?” Was I ready to join the ranks of the silver-haired, mah jong playing, picture-toting club?
Insights of a Senior Citizen
As interpreted by someone halfway there...
My journey has often been marked by sharp, uneven pebbles, other times lined with blooming flowers; the wisdom I have acquired along the way may be useful to some of you...
How a Motherless Widow Embraced Kindness
Before I fall asleep I imagine my grandmother reminding me to learn to narrate my life with positivity and gratitude.
The Mistake at the Hospital and the Power of Hope
I was particularly inspired by the Jewish take on the importance of a positive mindset.
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