Dear Family,

The time has finally come!!! I’ve been threatening to do this for some time now. Perhaps my realization that I am now part of the older (oldest) generation of the family has something to do with it. And perhaps my understanding that when I have a question about our history, that there’s no one left to ask, has more to do with it.

So i am making a request (though I’d much rather make it a demand!!). The request is based on my surety that we all have stories, photos, historical information, and perhaps even documents about our family. All of those things are in storage, whether in our basements or in our minds, and I am offering them a way out so that we can all share. As a simple and seemingly inconsequential example, Helene and I were on our way up to the Abrams’ last year and we passed by the house that Aunt Min, Uncle Bill, Rose and Sam shared when they were first married. Not a monumental piece of information – simply a small fact that will eventually fill out a broader picture. I know Jon has stories about the our family’s part in the neighborhood near him in downtown Philly. Barbara has a bottle from the bottle factory with the family name on it. Burt has stories and documents. Benzi has been collecting for several years. Zalmon had done a family history. Jon had started one as well. And so on…

My hope and request is that each person will contribute at least one story or piece of history. The more the better, obviously. They can come from memories or experiences with parents, grandparents, or before, if there is lore from beyond, all the better. Even if it is an imperfect memory, you can be sure someone in the family will be glad to correct you (lovingly of course)!!! In other words, I would love to have this as a fluid document, to be added to and changed.

Lee has graciously agreed to be the keeper of the responses, so besides getting them to me, please cc them to Lee. Lee requests that the submissions be formatted “nicely” and be ready to go when submitted. “For example, if written text, then proof-read and formatted already, or a picture already cropped/oriented as the submitter would like ” Any other questions should be directed to Lee.

Last year, Lee made copies of the videos I had converted to a USB flash drive. They were a mixture of our grandparents (or greatgrandparents) getting together to reminisce, to a seder in the 80’s, to other family memories. Lee is offering to reproduce them again for anyone who sends him a USB key.

Of course it goes without saying that if anyone has old videos , they can be converted and added to the collection.

We can now build a multi-media archive of our history.

The timeline in my head is: AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I’d love to have something for us to enjoy by Pesach!! It should be great fun (and important)!!!!!
I know I didn’t have a total list of email addresses, but I am hoping that husbands and wives I’m missing, as well as siblings and children, will make sure everyone gets contacted.

Love, your Cousin, Mother, Sister, Aunt, Relative in some other way, Dorothy, Dori