In memory of Mimi

My mom's Yahrzeit is Tuesday, February 28.  A Yahrzeit, for those who don't know, is the Hebrew Anniversary of someone's death.  Mimi Schulman, my mom, died on Febuary 19, 2010, which also happened to be the 5th of Adar, 5770.  Enough of the Judaism lesson, I want to write about my mom.

Mimi Schulman, nee Zolkin, was born on October 23, 1929.  If you are a history buff, the stock market crash of 1929 started the next day, but I digress.  Mimi married Marty on September 7, 1952 and had 3 children: Michael born in 1958, Seth born in 1961 and me (Jeffrey) born in 1962.  For those of you keeping score at home, that's 3 boys in the span of 3 1/2 years, enough to drive anyone crazy.

Mom was a "stay at home mother", but was always busy with volunteer activities.  When we were at the Hebrew Academy, mom was one of the mothers who helped prepare lunch for the entire school.  She was very active in our Temple's Sisterhood, PTA and Youth Committee and was in Temple for one reason or another almost every day of the week.  Mom was a doer, when I was very young, she and some other women wanted to have a regular study group with our Rabbi, so she and the other ladies arranged for babysitting at the Temple for us.

I've inherited and learned a lot from mom, some good and some not so good.  My love of "Jewish Food", chicken soup with feet, gribbennis, chopped liver, and other things that would make you say "ewww" are all because mom was a wonderful cook, and that's at least part of the reason I take Lipitor today.  I also got my love of reading, of learning and of all things Jewish from mom as well.  When I get up to read Torah, lead a service, teach something at Men's Club or just talk about Judaism, I always think of my mom a little because she helped instill that passion in me.

So, tonight I lit a Yahrzeit candle, fought back a tear and smiled, both at the same time.  Mom, thank you for being my mother, for helping me become who I am, and for all that you did.  I didn't say it enough while you were alive, but I love you.

How about that.