It has now been 12 years since my beautiful, wonderful grandmother, Irene Klass, passed away. It is true that we lived in different countries and that I did not see her as often as I would have liked. However, as time goes on and as I grow older, I realize that you don’t necessarily have to live next door to somebody you love. Nor do you have to see them very frequently in order to be just like them.
There is something in the DNA that makes up every family tree that makes us very much like our ancestors. We have many character traits because they were brought down in our souls. Despite the fact that I did not live close to my grandmother I feel that I’m very similar to her in many ways.
My grandmother was a pioneer. My grandmother was proud to be Jewish, proud to be a woman, proud to do what was right even if no one else thought what she was doing was the right thing. My grandmother had her morals and her set of values that led the way.
She would always go out on a limb to help others. Sometimes it was to get an expensive lawyer for a poor person’s court case. Sometimes it was helping somebody with money to buy their home, so they wouldn’t be thrown out in the street; helping someone who had no food; helping somebody with a good word. My Bubby was always there to do what was right.
She was a beautiful woman physically and she always dressed like a queen. Her voice was like the heavenly angels. Whenever I was with her we used to sing and harmonize for hours. Even when I was far away in Israel, whenever I sang songs I could always hear her singing with me.
I am a grandmother as well, although a young grandmother I find myself many times comparing myself to my grandmother. Whenever I am down I like to sing and I think of my grandmother. I pretend we’re singing together and she makes me feel so much better. When I want to get dressed I think how she would dress and how elegant she looked no matter where she went.
Above all was her help to others. I feel that I’m following in her footsteps and I’m always reaching out to help somebody else in need. We should always remember where we come from so we should know where we need to go.
My grandmother was taken from this world to the world above. That must mean that her job was over and it is now her grandchildren who need to take over what she was doing. I know that my mother tries to follow her footsteps as well. I feel that Bubby would be very proud of me to know that I am always putting myself forward, fighting for Jews no matter where they are, fighting for women who don’t have the strength to do so, and fighting for the poor, giving them some money, and giving them a hug.
May I keep being a good example, and be able to pass onto my children and grandchildren as well, the right way to behave. I think of our four mothers and I try to be like them. But it is difficult to remember them since they lived so many years ago. I’m sure that the four mothers are emulated in my ancestors and in my grandmother and great-grandmothers before me. I’m sure that I have the strength to do whatever I do today because I come from them.
Thank you for setting the way for me so I can know how to behave and how to go and get strength from the great woman before me who is still showing me the way.
As I mentioned the last two weeks I had just moved from my old place to my new apartment. The last Shabbat before I left my old apartment I was sitting around the table with some friends singing and thanking Hashem for the beautiful memories I had in the home I was about to leave. I had four women guests sitting with me and singing. As I looked at their faces I could see the four mothers sitting at the table with me singing with me, hugging me, sending me off like angels on to my next place making sure that I do mitzvot in the new place as well. I will carry on the torch that my mother and grandmother set before me.
My granddaughter asked me to join her for some event she was having this past week since her parents were busy that same night. When my daughter asked my granddaughter if it was okay that I would be attending instead of her and her father, my granddaughter exclaimed of course it’s okay because Grandma is equivalent to the value of both my father and my mother.
Thank you Bubby for being who you were and for teaching me how to behave like a true grandmother should. I love you Bubby. I always will.
