The photograph is of grandma’s parents who set sail from Odessa at the turn of the last century – escaping vicious antisemitism and pogroms and grinding poverty. In my book, “Jews Milk Goats”, I reprinted part of a letter written by grandma’s sister Jenny when she was 90 years old. I had asked her to tell me about her childhood and about her parents (pictured above).
Would my great grandparents have been shocked or resigned to what we are seeing and hearing on our televisions and radios or would they, as I do, just shrug and say that antisemitism is the oldest hatred that never disappears.?
Grandma and grandpa and dad lived in tenements in the East End of London and visited the bath house every week. They always had enough to eat but never enough for luxuries or holidays. At home (even when I was a child and they were then living in a modern flat with a bathroom) my grandparents often spoke in Yiddish although their English was perfect.
As a child I often implored grandma to “tell me about the old days”. Imagine my surprise and delight when my grandchildren asked the same of me. I hope that they will in turn be able to answer their own grandchildren, one day, but whether it is in England is anybody’s guess.
