COMMUNITY VIEWS
A Last Goodbye For
A Loved Grandparent
ORNA MORETON
Special to The Jewish. News
don't really know what corn-
pelled me to call my grand-
mother that Sunday morning.
When I heard her voice, I knew
I had to see her. I also knew that this
visit would be our last.
My grandmother, Anne Kellerman,
and I were extremely devoted. She
shared her best years with me, offering
me her guidance, her wisdom and,
most of all, her unconditional love. I
recall fondly our summer vacations
together and our shared happiness. I
can still taste all the wonderful food
my grandmother would prepare. She
lived to delight all that knew her.
So now I needed to be with this
woman. I needed to hold her, to feel
her warmth and to give her the love
she deserved. My grandmother was 94
years old and living on a kibbutz in
Israel, where she had the constant care
of her daughter and son-in-law.
Recently, a young man had been hired
to tend to her every need.
I live in Michigan. Traveling to
Israel. is not complicated — that is, if
you are healthy. I have been afflicted
with multiple sclerosis for quite a few
years. I depend on a wheelchair when
outdoors and I have limited use of my
hands. Nevertheless, I felt the need to
get to Israel. But I was also feeling dis-
tressed because I was quite scared.
Never had I traveled alone since my
illness. I was extremely apprehensive,
yet anxious. I spent that day with my
hter who convinced me that I
daughter,
"
/—
Orna Moreton is an Oak Park resi-
dent.
expressions.
had to go and that I could go.
This lasted three days — three
My exceptional journey
remarkable, beautiful days, full of
began on. Monday morning.
bright sunlight, not only embrac-
Accompanied by warm
ing the walkways of the kibbutz,
thoughts of my grandmother, I
but also bathing the room we sat
departed from one airport,
in. A light breeze swept the air.
arrived at another and boarded
My grandmother and I were
a succession of flights. When I
together. We were content.
saw the vibrant colors of the
But as life dictates, joy, no mat-
Mediterranean Sea below me, I
ter how vibrant, is unmethodically
knew I had successfully com-
followed by intense grief. When I
pleted the most frightening
hugged and kissed my grand-
part of my journey.
mother after dinner, when I said,
I arrived at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Orna Moreton and her grandmother, Anne Kellerman.
"Goodnight," I did not know I
Israel is seven hours ahead of
was supposed to say, "Goodbye."
Eastern Standard Time; my
You
see, my grandmother left me that
I had created a bond more than 40
body was convinced it was 1 a.m. I
night.
She died as she had lived: in
years
ago
and
now,
as
we
clasped
each
was asked to wait until all the other
peace with refinement, embraced by
other,
we
were
reinforcing
that
bond.
I
passengers disembarked and then i h
love and the adoration of all that
was very happy.
stewards would support me. I was
My
grandmother
and
I
grew
insep-
knew her.
assisted to the exit, into the termini
Although I felt my loss overwhelm-
by
side
we
sat
for
hours,
arable.
Side
past customs and out, where my
ing, I was able to say goodbye. I knew
shoring
memories
and
anecdotes,
rec-
cousin was waiting for me. After a
that my grandmother would never be
ollecting our shared experiences of
brief, but warm reunion, she wheeled
too far away, that her presence would
times
gone
by,
but
not
forgotten.
My
me to her car, settled me in comfort-
forever comfort me. I cherish our life
grandmother
reiterated,
time
and
ably and off we went, leaving the
together, the beautiful memories that
that
she
lived
within
her
past.
Mediterranean Sea behind as we trav-
we created. Goodbye, dearest friend.
Sbt
found
comfort
and
solace
reliving
eled north toward Kibbutz Bar-Kai,
I threw a pinecone into my grand-
her days of long ago, recalling her life
near Hadera, and my grandmother.
mother's
grave in hopes that, one day, a
in
Poland,
her
relationships
with
her
How do I explain the emotional joy
small pine tree would sprout in her rest-
parents
and
her
siblings.
that swept through me as I watched
ing place. You see, dear reader, my name
Grandma recounted stories of her
my dear grandmother enter the room.
is Orna; it is Hebrew for pine tree.
pet
goat,
which
she
loved
dearly,
and
I was unable to speak or breathe, tears
I returned home the way I came.
how
her
family
was
forced
to
sell
the
blurred my vision. My grandma was
The journey went smoothly and with-
goat
in
exchange
for
food.
That
goat,
guided to a chair close to mine. She
out complication. I mean to infer that
after many days, found its way back
never took her eyes off me — as if she
home
to
my
grandmother
and
her
fam-
the traveling was made practically effort-
feared that, somehow, I would disap-
less by the gracious and considerate aid
ily.
Stories
relating
to
my
grandmother's
pear. When she sat down, she grasped
of the airline personnel. The trip would
journey
to
America,
her
detainment
on
my outstretched hands, pulled me
not have been possible without it.
Ellis
Island,
her
travels
through
the
city
toward her and we became one.
Now as then, I feel a sense of fulfill-
of
New
York
in
search
of
her
family;
all
What a wonderful sensation --
ment
that I made this journey, to give
this
and
more
my
grandmother
relived,
that of sharing and embrace, of sa.4- :.-
my
grandmother
a final embrace and
captivating
me
with
her
sensational
sto-
ing the essence of devotion, the nai , ile
ries,
her
animated
memoirs,
her
radiant
get
to
say
goodbye.
of endearment. My grandmother 1 , 1d
❑
OPINION
A Gas Mask
For Guests
11111
NECHEMIA MEYERS
Israel Correspondent
e now have a gas
b mask for
b guests. This is because our
son, here for a visit, didn't
have one of his own and,
for technical reasons, couldn't obtain a
mask from the civil defense authorities.
So we bought one, which will remain
with us for future guests when he goes
back to the states to resume his studies.
At the time of this writing, no one
knows whether gas masks will be
required in the near future. Most of
the innumerable experts we've heard
from in the last week say that the cur-
rent conflict in the Persian Gulf won't
affect Israel, that Saddam Hussein
won't repeat his 1991 missile attacks
on the Jewish state. But then they usu-
ally add an escape clause, typically
stating: "He will only strike at Israel if
his back is against the wall."
This situation leaves individual
Israelis bewildered and, in many fami-
lies, pits the husband against the wife.
The man typically refuses to be
alarmed, to run about buying sheets of
nylon and masking tape to prepare i! , ,
sealed room that is supposed to pro , .de
us with a modicum of protection
should Iraqi chemicals or microbes
come raining down on the land of
Israel. In contrast, the woman is usually
anxious to get everything ready for that
eventuality, however unlikely it may be.
As nearly as I could determine from
my recent visit to our local supermar-
ket, the nothing-to-worry-about opti-
mists are in the majority. The shop-
ping carts weren't any fuller than
usual, which indicates that people
aren't stocking up in anticipation of a
crisis. Moreover, the piles of plastic
sheeting and masking tape near the
checkout counters attracted little
interest. Most often, shoppers would
GAs MASK on page 39
1/1
1999
Detroit Jewish News
37