Renewing and refreshing old memories
Almost six months ago, we began the Circle for Yiddish Learning with the goal of learning more about the language as well as the culture of those ancestors who lived and laughed and cried in the Middle and Eastern parts of Europe. I am proud to report that for those who have frequently joined us for lunch and a bit of learning, it has been a great and wonderful experience. We all have become a bit more familiar with the language and, almost more importantly, we all have a greater understanding of the people themselves, heightening the joy we have experienced.
I cannot speak for anyone but myself ; all of our co-attendees must do that for themselves. But let me tell you of the experience I have had. I lost my mother over 55 years ago and I lost my father over 46 year ago. Prior to June 1, when our Circle was born, the memories of both of them had grown dim. It had even become difficult to reach back and pull up some of those wonderful memories I had grown up with through my first 18 years of life.
I moved east from Denver almost 40 years ago and have been to visit their graves only a very few times, so even those have grown very dim in my memory and the ease of speech of that wonderful language that had been the byproduct of that generation of ancestors.
I am so grateful to Congregation Beth Torah for providing the space for this Circle of ours and for all of the new friends who have joined me from so many different walks of life as we all have awakened our collective memories of our ancestors, now long ago Blessed Memories. We all welcome any and all of you to join us each Friday at noon for a bit of lunch and a bit of study as we re-awaken all of those memories that have made us all who we are.
I simply cannot tell you how much this Circle has changed me and how my new friends have enriched me as I remember.
Call me at (314) 477-4309 so we have lunch waiting for you.
Ray Davidson
Overland Park, Kan.