Is Uncle Jim on your mom or dad's side? How/when did y'all find out your French grandmother was Jewish? I missed the details, I think I was in China....
Father's older brother. Started with the founding of the school and chaired half a dozen departments in the humanities then retired. Mom and Dad graduated in first 4-year class. We always knew about Grandmere. None of us, including her, had any learning so did not grasp implications. Also we were so many people's gentile business partners and friends in a time when that meant something. None of them wanted us to be Jews. We did not perform the mitzvot of Chinese food on Xmas before a skiing vacation, baruch hashem. I was much happier growing up singing war songs in the church that settled and governed Woodbridge. Did not enjoy the vibe at B'Nai Jacob. My close friends who grew up that way either made Aliyah or went all haredi. The Puritans, after all, thought of themselves as Zionists in Canaan.
Well, your brother knows well we didn't do Chinese food on Christmas before skiing vacations either, and I remain proud of being the only student expelled from Hebrew School at B'nai Jacob. Couldn't stand the place. I much preferred going to church with your brothers and parents.
Is Uncle Jim on your mom or dad's side? How/when did y'all find out your French grandmother was Jewish? I missed the details, I think I was in China....
Father's older brother. Started with the founding of the school and chaired half a dozen departments in the humanities then retired. Mom and Dad graduated in first 4-year class. We always knew about Grandmere. None of us, including her, had any learning so did not grasp implications. Also we were so many people's gentile business partners and friends in a time when that meant something. None of them wanted us to be Jews. We did not perform the mitzvot of Chinese food on Xmas before a skiing vacation, baruch hashem. I was much happier growing up singing war songs in the church that settled and governed Woodbridge. Did not enjoy the vibe at B'Nai Jacob. My close friends who grew up that way either made Aliyah or went all haredi. The Puritans, after all, thought of themselves as Zionists in Canaan.
Well, your brother knows well we didn't do Chinese food on Christmas before skiing vacations either, and I remain proud of being the only student expelled from Hebrew School at B'nai Jacob. Couldn't stand the place. I much preferred going to church with your brothers and parents.