The Wedding Cake Topper That Waited… for Me
In May’s Long Wait, I mentioned that at my parents’ wedding on September 18, 1945, there was no wedding cake.…
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When the Suitcases Were Unpacked: Sarah and Feige’s Stories
They crossed the ocean together in 1904. But what happened after they set their suitcases down in America? When my…
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An Apple, a Ladder, and a Century of Change
When I picture Arthur climbing that apple tree in the Catskills, I always wonder — what kind of apple was…
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A Squirrel in a Dress and Other Small Stories of Wartime Hope
Would you believe that during World War II, animals offered comfort and support—not only to those fighting overseas, but also…
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The Day I Found a WWII Ration Book in Some Family Papers
When I wrote May’s Long Wait, I talked about how families during World War II needed ration books to buy…
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A Pinch of This, A Pinch of That: Gussie’s Brisket Story
As soon as you opened our front door, you always knew what my mother, May Blieden, was cooking for Shabbat…
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When Women Stepped Up to the Plate
“They weren’t just keeping baseball alive —they were keeping America’s spirit alive.” The year was 1943.Across America, factories roared, ration…
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Who’s Who in May’s Long Wait
When I wrote May’s Long Wait, I already knew the story by heart — after all, it’s the story of…
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Two Drawers, Two Worlds: Growing Up Kosher
“NO!!!” my siblings and I shouted in unison as we stood around the modern black kitchen table. My friend Sharon…
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Crossing the Ocean: Discovering What Your Ancestor’s Voyage Was Really Like
Imagine standing on a crowded wharf in Hamburg in 1895, your worldly goods in a small suitcase and weeks of…