Bubbe's Place: Stories

Love, Bubbie

Before I put my pen away, I want to say something about the years when you were growing up and how I hoped to influence your lives. Your years are very different than the years when I grew up. I hope that your ties to Judaism will be bound by sweeter memories. I didn't know my grandparents. You have been lucky to know your grandparents and even your great grandparents. I hoped that by living near you, I could help you learn to love and respect your Jewish heritage. I have tried to give you some loving memories that would tie you to Judaism and to the Jewish people. I know I am being very sentimental and perhaps a little too schmaltzy (mushy). I want you to try to remember the warmth of our Shabbat dinners, the lace tablecloths, the candles, and the smells of fresh challah. Remember how we sang the kiddish together and recited the motzi. I hope you will remember how we celebrated the holidays and especially our big family sidarim. Remember the succahs we built and decorated. Remember how we sang and danced and laughed together.

I also want you to remember the ethical lessons that we learned from our Jewish commandments. Practice them in order to make your world a better place to live. Remember always that you have eyes to see and a heart to feel, so you are required to help those in need and to help to stop injustices. These are among the gifts, the challenges, and the memories I leave you. And oh yes, go to synagogue at least once in a while to reinforce, to invigorate your ties with your tradition.

Love, Bubbie, Florence Korostoff Gussman