Page 88 - issue
P. 88
FULL CIRCLE about herself – and never considered
her life “interesting.” Many would beg to
THE differ. Fun to speak with, Rosalie uplifts
everyone who comes to visit.
HOUSE
YATCHAHT A “Sara” is just one of many frequent
BUILT visitors. Both she and her two-year-old
daughter “Miriam” look forward to
by Eta Kushner to meet many of the elderly residents. these visits, which were arranged by
Though not all of them have the ability Rosalie’s daughter, Dina Karlip, a pop-
Ioften try to imagine what the lives to remember their past and communi- ular teacher at TA for many years. “Mrs.
of my great-great grandparents were cate well, many do, and have regaled Wolfson always treats Miriam like a
like in Poland. (Or was it Russia? I me with fascinating stories. I had grandchild,” says Sara, “and makes sure
guess it depends on what day of the planned to do short profiles on several to have treats, balloons, and other spe-
week it was.) I also can’t help but people I met, but after speaking with cial surprises. She wants to make sure
wonder what threads tie those resident Rosalie Wolfson, who is well that we have a great time. Mrs. Wolfson
mostly anonymous shtetl forebears into her 90s, I felt compelled to write is such a pleasure to be around. It’s
to us, living more than a century about her and her interesting family. hard to get Miriam to leave.” Another
later. What is the enigma of Jewish con- frequent visitor, Florence Davidson,
tinuity, which wends its mysterious way In many ways, the story of Mrs. describes her as very “with it,” and
through the generations? My curiosity Wolfson’s family is typical of that of Rosalie’s great-grandchild, Emmy, age
was partially satisfied recently through many immigrant American Jewish fam- nine, (daughter of Rachel and Josh
a new friend. ilies, but the family did benefit – as we Dreeben of Montgomery County)
shall see – from at least one exception- remembers Rosalie coming to her
A few months ago, I became a volun- al personality. As for Rosalie Wolfson, house every Sunday, when they would
teer at Levindale. My official “job” is in she thinks there is nothing special sing together: “Me singing songs from
the gift shop, but I’ve also had a chance Frozen, and Bubs, Yiddish songs. I’m
very lucky to have such a beautiful, lov-
ing great-grandmother.”
A person who can relate to young
and old has to be special, and, certain-
ly, when she becomes shomer Shabbos
in her 90s, you have to wonder why.
Yacha
Yacha Michelson, Rosalie’s paternal
grandmother, stands out in her earliest
memories. “My grandmother Yacha was
a tzadekes,” she recalls. “She used to
daven in shul every morning and
evening. As she approached the shul,
the men would joke, ‘Ot geyt Mrs.
Michelson. Hobn mir shoyn a minyen’
(Here comes Mrs. Michelson, now we
have a minyan!)’ She also used to fast
every Monday and Thursday and of
course, kept halacha meticulously.”
Yacha, who was educated in Russia,
became known as the “zogerke” the
woman who translated the siddur and
Chumash into Yiddish for the rest of
the women in shul on Shabbos and
holidays. She read the siddur out loud
and answered any questions the
women had on it.
“I never heard my grandmother say
an unkind word about anyone. If some-
84 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
her life “interesting.” Many would beg to
THE differ. Fun to speak with, Rosalie uplifts
everyone who comes to visit.
HOUSE
YATCHAHT A “Sara” is just one of many frequent
BUILT visitors. Both she and her two-year-old
daughter “Miriam” look forward to
by Eta Kushner to meet many of the elderly residents. these visits, which were arranged by
Though not all of them have the ability Rosalie’s daughter, Dina Karlip, a pop-
Ioften try to imagine what the lives to remember their past and communi- ular teacher at TA for many years. “Mrs.
of my great-great grandparents were cate well, many do, and have regaled Wolfson always treats Miriam like a
like in Poland. (Or was it Russia? I me with fascinating stories. I had grandchild,” says Sara, “and makes sure
guess it depends on what day of the planned to do short profiles on several to have treats, balloons, and other spe-
week it was.) I also can’t help but people I met, but after speaking with cial surprises. She wants to make sure
wonder what threads tie those resident Rosalie Wolfson, who is well that we have a great time. Mrs. Wolfson
mostly anonymous shtetl forebears into her 90s, I felt compelled to write is such a pleasure to be around. It’s
to us, living more than a century about her and her interesting family. hard to get Miriam to leave.” Another
later. What is the enigma of Jewish con- frequent visitor, Florence Davidson,
tinuity, which wends its mysterious way In many ways, the story of Mrs. describes her as very “with it,” and
through the generations? My curiosity Wolfson’s family is typical of that of Rosalie’s great-grandchild, Emmy, age
was partially satisfied recently through many immigrant American Jewish fam- nine, (daughter of Rachel and Josh
a new friend. ilies, but the family did benefit – as we Dreeben of Montgomery County)
shall see – from at least one exception- remembers Rosalie coming to her
A few months ago, I became a volun- al personality. As for Rosalie Wolfson, house every Sunday, when they would
teer at Levindale. My official “job” is in she thinks there is nothing special sing together: “Me singing songs from
the gift shop, but I’ve also had a chance Frozen, and Bubs, Yiddish songs. I’m
very lucky to have such a beautiful, lov-
ing great-grandmother.”
A person who can relate to young
and old has to be special, and, certain-
ly, when she becomes shomer Shabbos
in her 90s, you have to wonder why.
Yacha
Yacha Michelson, Rosalie’s paternal
grandmother, stands out in her earliest
memories. “My grandmother Yacha was
a tzadekes,” she recalls. “She used to
daven in shul every morning and
evening. As she approached the shul,
the men would joke, ‘Ot geyt Mrs.
Michelson. Hobn mir shoyn a minyen’
(Here comes Mrs. Michelson, now we
have a minyan!)’ She also used to fast
every Monday and Thursday and of
course, kept halacha meticulously.”
Yacha, who was educated in Russia,
became known as the “zogerke” the
woman who translated the siddur and
Chumash into Yiddish for the rest of
the women in shul on Shabbos and
holidays. She read the siddur out loud
and answered any questions the
women had on it.
“I never heard my grandmother say
an unkind word about anyone. If some-
84 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
