"Strength" is defined as having the physical ability and power to do something, the emotional or mental qualities necessary in dealing with situations or events that are difficult, and the capacity of an object or person to withstand great force or pressure. It is a word that has many different definitions, but I can proudly say that my grandmother was the epitome of the word “strength.” For everyone that knew my Grandma, we can all agree that she was one of strongest and toughest women that we’ve ever had the privilege of knowing.
My Grandma is my hero, and she always will be. No human being on this earth has ever had to endure all the tough challenges that she had, and I want to thank her from the bottom of my heart for pushing through it all. If it wasn’t for her, I would not exist and I thank God that he kept one of his most cherished angels on this earth for 86 years.
The Holocaust was a defining part of her life, and she amazingly made it out of the camps alive. She fought for her survival on a daily basis for 3 years. She made her terrible past a learning-experience for everyone she knew, and I know that she touched every single person she shared her story with. It was more than just determination and perseverance that got my grandma through the Concentration Camps, but it was also by the grace of God. God made sure she survived because he had a whole life-plan for her. Her impact upon people was so empowering, and I know that God welcomed her home with open arms and a smile that took all of her pain and burdens away. But by pushing forward and creating a beautiful life for herself after the war, she truly beat Hitler. He may have caused her an incredible amount of pain and suffering, but in the end, she came out alive and as the true victor.
Grandma got married to my grandpa Jerry, and they had a love like you see in movies. He understood her past, and made it his goal to give her a better future. They were so close with one another…and that’s the kind of love everyone craves for in this life. His sudden death was very hard on her, yet she continued to learn how to live around the hole in her heart. Together, they had 3 beautiful sons. She had my uncle Leo from a previous relationship, but my grandfather adopted him and looked at him like he was his own son. I know for a fact that her, grandpa, and Uncle Leo are all looking down at us from heaven and together they're guiding our family through this tough time. And although I never met my grandfather or my uncle in person, I feel as if I know them because Gram did such a fantastic job of keeping them alive through the memories she shared with me after they were gone. I know she's finally happy to be with them again, and I wish I had been able to see such a beautifully long-awaited reunion.
Grandpa always encouraged Grandma to her pursue her dreams of crocheting blankets. She used to show me the tags he had specially made with her name on them, and she would sew them into the blankets she made before she would sell them. She had a heart of pure gold and every time I turned around, it seemed as if she was always crocheting a blanket for someone--"just because." I have multiple baby blankets that she made for me to keep, and when I have children of my own one day, I'll be sure they are bundled up in the various things she stitched with love. Her kindness was portrayed through the all of the things she created for people, and her heart was as big as the moon.
She had told me a story once about how she created a wedding dress for a woman she knew who couldn’t afford to buy one. She sat for hours, hand-stitching beads and carefully crafting a gorgeous dress for her friend to wear on her wedding day. When the woman saw the dress Grandma had made for her, she cried tears of joy. Although Gram didn’t have any pictures to show me of the dress, I saw it reflected in her eyes of how good she felt from making that woman’s wedding day so special. What made Grandma happy was the fact that she was able to spread joy into other people’s lives, and I know she had been able to do that for all of us while she was alive. She knew how to make every single one of us all feel so special and deeply loved.
Whenever you looked at her, you could always see so much more than a pair of brown eyes looking back at you. You were able to see light and tragedy and happiness and emotions and if you looked close enough, you could always see her spark of strength and determination. Her eyes had seen so many places and events, while her pure heart had felt so many different things over the years. She always shared her memories with us, and she taught each and every person that she ever encountered what it truly means to fight for survival. We all should cherish the moments that we’ve had with her, and thank God for the time we were lucky enough to spend by her side. She had been an angel gracing this earth for all of her life, and now the only difference is that she is an angel up in heaven.
I miss you more than anything, Gram. I'll see you again someday.
With love, by Ari.
