June 10, 2008, - 10:41 pm
Back in the Saddle, But My Grandmother, Z”L*, Died
By Debbie Schlussel
Sorry that none of my work was posted here today, but I was out for the Jewish holiday. While I had planned to have a piece on a key Al-Qaeda terrorist, whose son is a Barack Obama fundraiser (I was the only journalist to cover his trial), I did not get the piece done in time before the Jewish holiday. I hope to have it posted early Wednesday morning.
In the meantime, I just learned that my only remaining grandparent, my grandmother–a Holocaust survivor from Poland–passed away over the Jewish holiday. * Zichronah LiVrachah–Blessed Be Her Memory. She was a talented seamstress, who designed and made for me my satin “Little Orphan Annie” costume from scratch (along with all my other costumes). The Nazis allowed her to live because of her sewing skills. She was also a loving mother and grandmother. Almost her entire family was wiped out in the Holocaust.
Above is a photo of my grandmother and her friends, before they were either sent to their deaths, to Bergen Belsen concentration camp, or to some other horrible fate. As you can see, they were forced to wear the yellow stars and, expectedly, none of them are smiling. They were slave labor seamstresses, forced to sew and repair Nazi uniforms and clothes. Then, they were sent to the camps. (My grandmother is third from the left, middle row.)
My grandmother, the oldest living member of my family, lived well into her 90s–we believe, 94. But we do not know exactly how old she was, as the records were lost with the Nazis.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Debbie. Memory Eternal for your dear grandmother. Your post tonight is such a loving tribute to her!
Maura on June 11, 2008 at 1:10 am