Engagements

When I was notified that Natalie and Alex became engaged, I was reminded how Marcie and I became engaged. Marcie was living at home with her parents. Late one Sunday morning I came to her house and went upstairs to her bedroom. She was awake but still in bed. I sat on the side of the bed and said, “Marce, I think that we should get married. What do you think?” She replied, “Okay” and that was that! She was 21 and I was 23. What did we know?!

Appointments

Yesterday I went to the auto dealership to get some maintenance work done. (Of course I had a coupon; two, in fact). When the service writer asked if I had an appointment, I replied, “Son, I’m 90 years old. I don’t make appointments anymore.”

Something Good

A man walks into a Catholic Church and into the confessional. He blurts out, “I had sex with my wife six times yesterday”. The priest says, “ I notice That you are wearing a Star of David. Are you Jewish?” The man replies, ‘Yes, I am.” The priest says, “ You are Jewish and you are in a Catholic Church confessional telling me that you had sex with your wife six times, which is not a sin. Why are you telling me this?’ I HAD to tell someone,” the man replied.

So, if something great or even good happened to you and you want to tell someone, like you started a new job that you love, or you sold a Sherpa, or one of my great grandchildren made the Honor Roll, or you closed the sale of a prime property, send me an e-mail and tell me about it. I love to hear when something good happens to one of my family. IT MAKES MY WHOLE DAY.

It is difficult to determine where to go if you do not know where you have been

One hundred years ago, William Golberg landed at Locust Point in Baltimore, after sailing from Hamburg, Germany. He came with his mother, Dora and three siblings, Sophie, Goldie and David. It was necessary that immigrants be sponsored by someone living in the United States and the Golbergs were sponsored by Simon and Manye Malkin.  Manye was Dora’s sister.

The Malkins had previously immigrated and established a hardware store at Pratt and Central Avenue. William was the man of the Family; his father, Constantine died earlier in the Ukraine. The Golbergs lived on the third floor above the hardware store and William worked in the store to support the family. He was 16 years old; only Sophie was older.

The Malkins were called Uncle Malkin and Tante Manye. Tante is Yiddish for aunt and fetter is Yiddish for uncle. I have no idea why we did not call him Fetter Simon. They had two daughters; Sarah, who was adopted and Phyllis. Sarah married Harry Shpritz, a dentist and had two children, Gloria and Norton. Phyllis married Eli (Ginny) Paul and had one daughter. Ginny Paul was an accomplished softball player and played second base for a world championship team sponsored by Jack Pollack, a political Baltimore 4^th District leader. The hardware store relocated to Liberty Height Avenue and was renamed the Liberty Paint and Hardware. Ginny Paul worked in the hardware store and it existed until his retirement.

William had a house built at 3326 Ingleside Avenue and married Esther Poloway in 1924. Dora and Sophie and Goldie moved in with the newlyweds. William worked for the Independent Lock Company until his retirement in 1963. Kenneth arrived in March, 1925, Ruth in June, 1929 and Marvin Bennett in January 1931.

Birth

I am so excited! I would like to announce the birth of a ………………………………TOMATO!!!!!!!!!!! Three weeks ago, I went to Home Depot and bought two planters, two bags of topsoil and two six inch tomato plants. My Aide, Mariana and I planted them along with some miniature pepper plants that she grew from seeds. The tomato plants are about a foot and a half high. Today she noticed a tomato the size of a marble, had appeared. I have a long way to go to recoup the $67.00 that I spent at Home Depot.

Tradition

TRADITION, TRADITION!

I believe that tradition is the glue that binds race, religion, culture and family together. No matter how secular a Jew may become, there is usually a Bris (if male, of course), a Bnei Mitzvoh and a Jewish funeral. Traditions may change depending how mores change. I'm big on tradition. I gave Aunt Molli and Uncle Larry my gold wedding band and asked them to be the keeper and supply it for use in all future weddings in the family. As Jewish tradition dictates, it is the one that I put on her forefinger 65 years ago.

Imagine Jacob, some two or three decades from now, telling his bride, as he puts that ring on her forefinger, "This is the ring that my great-grandfather Ken put on the forefinger of my great-grandmother Marcie nearly a century ago."

This being said, I believe that we should remember our loved ones with two dates; the secular one of their birth and the religious one of their death. That sort of ties their whole life together. So I remembered Grandma on her birthday, February 2nd and I will light a candle on the evening of February 22nd, the Hebrew date.

Life with Marcie

Today I received a DVD of Momma's funeral service. I listened carefully to the words of Rabbi Wohlberg, Alex and Amy. They talked about Momma, the kind of person she was. During our 65 years together, I never thought about that. We just lived our lives. I suppose it is like when you go on a trip or you go on vacation. Once you come home and think about it, you remember the enjoyment you had and you enjoy it over and over again. I cannot count the times that I have fondly remembered the trips we took to Israel, the many times we went to Chicago and Reno. I recall sneaking Emily to Burger King and sleeping in the motel office when we went to visit Lauren at camp. I remember taking Sheri and Lauren to Penn Dutch country to ride that old train from Intercourse to Paradise. So many memories and each one sweeter than when we actually did them.

So it is with our marriage; the great things, the good things and the not-so-good things. That first night we slept in the apartment over the store at 238 South Stricker Street, Risa in her carriage and Momma and I on a blanket on the floor; Larry and Arnold's bris in that same apartment. The move to 1512 McHenry Street when we outgrew the apartment with the birth of Marc and Phyllis. The trip to St. Agnes Hospital with Larry in my arms when he was hit by a car. The many meals Momma cooked and served at 1512 and thereafter. The fire at 1512. So many great, good and not-so-good things.

Now, sixty-five years later, our children are married and they have children of their own who have children. And then our other grandchildren will marry and have children. I have thought of some, not all, of the reasons that we have had such a good life and I will share them with you. Between Momma and I there was unconditional trust and loyalty. We knew that we could count on one another no matter what. We talked to one another, openly and candidly, and listened to what the other said. We were optimistic and had a positive attitude which gave us the strength to overcome the not-so-good things and obstacles that we encountered. We agreed that our primary goal was to raise good children and we certainly did that!

There will come a time when our grandchildren will marry. We hope that you find a mate such as Grandma and I found. In addition we wish you several other things. We wish that you have many children and grandchildren who actually like their siblings and cousins. We wish you enough wealth to accomplish what you want to accomplish and to live the life that you want to live. With these things Grandma and I know that you will lead wonderful lives, it worked for us!

When you find and marry your mate I may not be here to send you a card. I would like you to keep this writing and when that time comes, read it. And if I am here, I will write on the card, "See Life With Marcie."

– Addendum –
I wrote this at three o’clock in the morning but that is no excuse. How could I? How could I omit Lauren’s beautiful words at the funeral service. I am so sorry. I am so sorry.