Another year has passed since my Zaidy left this world. The older I get and the more interaction I have with my grandchildren, I realize how much more so I miss my dear grandfather, Zaidy Shalom. His great Torah knowledge indeed keeps striving in all his descendants, especially through the ones named after him. Lucky I’m one of the fortune ones who have a child named for him as well. I can whole hardily say, “Zaidy, my son is just like you. He loves Torah so much. You’ll never see him without a sefer in his hands, and in his heart.”
Life’s challenges never stop and the road down our path is thank goodness long but rewarding. My children have all grown up by now and are parents themselves. I look at my grandchildren so often and think of you dear Zaidy. Although when I was young we lived far away in Israel and saw you only in the summer, those memories are the most precious ones to me, more than any other. Later on when we moved back to New York and I saw you every Shabbat weekend, your love always gave me strength to never give up in what I believed in, and those memories are etched in my heart and soul forever.
You taught me so much about love and respect. About the glory and pride of being Jewish. You taught me to never give up, even if I feel that I’m standing alone, since I’m never really alone, Hashem is always there by my side helping me do the right things always. I remember the Shabbat walks on the boardwalk and your worried face when I ran forward to climb on the rocks as the water came down on the seaweed stones. The purple grapes I ate on Shabbat night when I came over to say hello. The beautiful stories of the sages I waited so eagerly to hear.
Times have changed and everything and everyone are so independent. It’s almost like no one needs anyone anymore. Everyone is so smart and knows better than the next. I try very hard to give over to my children that there is no replacement for a grandparent and that the connection with them is so important, and so everlasting. The molding of their child’s life and the connections they will have with their grandparents are so critical and vital. After all we are all descendants of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. That heritage is brought down to us in every generation through our grandparents and theirs before them. The older I get the more I wish I had spent more time with you. Asking questions, listening to stories, and just learning Torah from you. All the smart things you had to share with me are with me everyday of my life.
Dear Zaidy I miss you, I miss the little tickles you used to give me with your mustache, I miss singing with you at the Shabbat table. I miss the quarters you used to give us for the arcades in the summer when we used to go to the mountains. I miss coming to see you in your big office and receiving a big hug as I entered. You were always a safe haven for me. You used to call me “My little sunshine.” I knew that anything in the world I would ever need I could always come to you. Every child needs a safe place like that to grow healthy. Thank you for being mine.
Till today whenever I’m worried or upset I look up to the heavens and find myself talking to you and still asking for your help. What a gift I have to be part of your family. Keep on looking out for me and all of my family, and may we reach the times in the full redemption that we may meet once more. Rest in peace my dear grandfather and know that I love you and always will.
