18 | AUGUST 29 • 2024 

O

nce upon a time, more 
than 100 years ago, in the 
far away land of Akron, 
Ohio, lived a little girl named 
Gittel Kahan. Gittel’s parents, Emil 
and Mary, owned a 
store on Main Street 
where young Gittel 
would sell the Akron 
Beacon Journal in 
front of the building.
Less than a mile 
away from Main 
Street stood Grace 
Elementary School. Gittel looked 
forward to attending school with 
the other neighborhood children, 
but her parents became concerned 

about children who might tease 
Gittel because her name was 
different. 
Emil and Mary decided to 
bestow an American name on 
their precious Gittel. They used 
the name of the school and Gittel 
would forever be known as Grace.
Their small family eventually 
moved to Detroit where Emil 
became the president of their 
Orthodox synagogue and the 
treasurer of the local Jewish 
National Fund. Mary went on 
to develop a solid reputation 
as a wonderful cook, baker and 
babysitter. 
And little Grace grew steadily as 

the years rolled on. When she was 
24, Grace married William “Bill” 
Naftaly in 1937. 
Sadly, Grace’s father passed away 
in 1951. She wanted to honor her 
father’s memory and prayed for 
another child so she could pass 
on the name of Emil. In 1952, 13 
months after Emil’s passing, Jerry 
(me) would be born. My middle 
name is Emil.
In 1954, Grace, Bill and their 
three children moved from Detroit 
to Oak Park. Little Jerry was 
destined to carry on the leadership 
qualities of his grandfather. I grew 
up to be elected mayor of Oak 
Park. 

RETRACING MY 
MOTHER’S STEPS
Even at age 100, Grace would 
reminisce with me about her early 
years selling newspapers in front 
of her father’s store. As she shared 
memories, I thought it would be 
nice to visit Akron where she grew 
up. Perhaps I could walk in the 
same steps she took to school 100 
years earlier. However, my mother 
Grace passed away in March 2015, 
just 22 days short of her 102nd 
birthday.
A road trip was planned in 
2023, eight years after her passing. 
I wanted to accomplish two 
goals. First, I arranged with my 

Walking in My 
Mother’s Footsteps

My attempts to restore the historical marker 
where my mother Grace went to school

Jerry Naftaly
Special to the 
 
Jewish News

OUR COMMUNITY
ESSAY

LEFT: The historical 
marker in front of 
Grace Elementary 
in Akron, Ohio, that 
Jerry Naftaly wants 
to get restored.
BELOW: Jerry 
Naftaly and his 
mother, Grace.