Grandma Tillie's Laugh
This would be taken in the 1950's, probably at her apartment in Far Rockaway. She always had a glass of "grapefruit water", as I called it: she peeled grapefruit and put in a glass of water and sipped on it. Never learned English, she spoke Yiddish and read the 'Forward' Jewish newspaper daily, but was not a big talker. She was always a bit quiet and demure, and easily made to laugh. She had the funniest high-pitched 'squeak' of a laugh...
Grandma Tillie
Mid-1950's, about 1955 or so. Not sure where this was taken, perhaps in Far Rockaway ? or maybe before Jay's Bar Mitzvah? Tillie was my dad's mother. Russian-born, though we also heard Poland, so who knows? The ship's register she came over on says 'Russia' as country of origin, emigrated here in 1905, with her husband Jacob, who died in his 30's. She had 3 sons, Mike (my dad), Harry and Charlie. She was diabetic, used insulin, and lived alone in Far Rockaway Brooklyn in the winter, and spent some summers in Lakewood New Jersey, which had a large Jewish population, I don't know how I remember that, except that I knew she went away there for the summers. She also spent some winters in South Beach, Miami, in one of the art deco hotels - now boutique hotels - when they were apartment dwellings back in mid-20th century. She always asked me "when are you going to find a girl to marry?" - I guess she never picked up on my identity. Brother Jay seated beside her behind me. He would be about 10 or 11, me about 5 or 6.
