My beautiful grandmother, my Bubby, Mrs. Irene Klass was indeed a woman of valor.
Today we live in a world where everyone is trying to be equal, men and woman alike. However, in truth men and woman can never be equal. Each one has its special intrinsic values, and special qualities, which make everyone different and wonderful in their own special way.
My grandmother lived in a time when woman were just beginning to state their mind and opinions and Mrs. Irene Klass did this with grace and respect.
One of the things that stood out especially with my bubby was her love for her children and grandchildren. I felt tremendous love from both of my grandparents. Whenever I came to their house they made me feel like a queen had come to visit. Was I her favorite? I thought so, but so did my siblings and my cousins.
Today I too am a mother and grandmother and I think back to how she always stood up for what she knew was right and instilled that in her children. She is always in my mind giving me the strength to do the right things.
She was ahead of her time and was a woman of great value and strength. She spoke up for her family, her friends, and the land of Israel she loved so much.
She would have so much pleasure today knowing how many of her offspring live a beautiful Torah life here in the holy land of Israel.
She was so proud to represent The Jewish Press wherever she went. She always had a paper under her arm and no matter where she was, she always took it out and proudly handed it over to whomever she was speaking with.
In the fast and computer age society in which we live, I wonder what my grandmother would do today. Surely she would still give out the paper and on a side note add that there is a great website as well.
I don’t walk around with The Jewish Press paper today, however, whenever I meet anyone new, I instinctively see my grandmother in front of my eyes standing right there with me and picture her handing over a paper to the person standing next to me.
In conversation I say to them, do you know who my grandmother was? She was the founder of The Jewish Press.
It’s very hard to walk in the footsteps of our ancestors. There are so many distractions, and things we follow today online or on Google that it sometime feels that we are losing the sensitivity for the specialness and the quality of our past generations. However, I truly believe that everything gets passed down from one generation to the next.
My grandmother was a fighter and a pioneer in her time, she had special abilities to feel deeply, express herself in writing and in speech, and do what she believed was right no matter what was going on.
These qualities were part of her soul, and she definitely passed these abilities down to the next generation and so on until this very generation.
I see character traits in my daughter and granddaughter that make me so proud and make me think how proud my bubby would be if she could meet the offspring of her hard work and labor.
My daughter didn’t really get a chance to know my grandmother, but somehow in G-d’s special ways He made sure that the special traits that I knew so well in my bubby seemed to have been sent to my daughter.
Her strong mind and her strong will to do what she believes is right and correct for her children is so clear. I see my grandmother fighting for her children in front of my eyes every time I see my beautiful child. She stands behind her opinions and her values, and will protect others in need, no matter who they are.
Men pass on the ability to learn and be great scholars just like their ancestors before them.
However, women give over the ability, first, to give life and to preserve it. Then they also teach and make it more beautiful. Bubby added so much color and life to this world. She would be so proud to see how her efforts bore fruit, and what a beautiful orchard of colors and life continues till this very day due to all of her spirit direction and actions.
May her special traits and qualities live on forever in all of her offspring.
Bubby, I have a granddaughter, who is so much like you. She is still very young but greatness can be seen from the very beginning. She will make you proud, and she too will carry the torch of great strength and righteousness, just as you always did.
Bubby, I miss you so much.