Over the years we have learned that the best occasions are those when our entire family is together. That does not mean that we have to plan a family cruise in order to celebrate a special event, nor does it mean that we need to take our children to a resort in order to spend time with them. Instead, our idea of the best family time is when we see our grandchildren in our home playing Rummikub together at the dining room table, when we see the little ones sitting on the floor playing Crazy Eights or when we see our daughters challenging their older nieces and nephews to rowdy games of Bananagrams and Boggle. How did they all get so smart? There is always excitement when the “out of town” cousins walk through the door, and within 10 minutes everyone has meandered off to their little group to “do their own thing.” This is definitely our pride and joy. We feel that we have been blessed by the fact that everyone likes each other and loves each other. Sons-in-law who were once new to the family now blend right in and enjoy each other’s company. Sports keeps the conversation going, whether it be the NBA, the Yankees or, regrettably, rarely, the Canadiens.
In the Bergenfield-Teaneck area, our grandchildren are very boy heavy. Actually, our entire family is boy heavy except for us. Two lonely girls here, one from each family, have bonded together as though they were sisters. Six months apart in age but with a blended heart. Now that we have more girls in the family through our grandsons marrying and our two granddaughters from Rochester, the pool is evening out more completely. How beautiful it is to see the older girl cousins take their younger cousins under their wing.
Our family has shared many wonderful occasions together, and by the same token we have had to face daunting challenges of life and death. Again everyone pitched in to support and share in the process of attempting to relieve the burden of weight that we were all feeling at the time. Distance was irrelevant when family was in need. We held on to each other, and the warmth of family played a vital role in getting through these challenges.
Parshat Naso has infiltrated the Glick family in a big way. Four of our grandsons share the longest parsha of the year for their bar mitzvahs. It began with Yoel Eisenberg, continued on with Zev Kinderlehrer; Eyal Kinderlehrer will have the same parsha in four years, and the Shabbat which we are about to celebrate will be the bar mitzvah of our grandson Noam Kinderlehrer. It is hard for us to imagine that he is already 13, but when we look at his mother, our daughter Dena, who is our baby, we realize that time is moving on.
We are especially proud of Noam. He is kind, respectful and caring. He has no “shtick.” (Bubbie has to add that he is also gorgeous.) He has had many challenges as he is the younger brother of his autistic brother. He has accepted his leadership role and sets an example for all of his brothers.
As well, it is something to be said that our children Dena and Moshe chose to make a “heimish” bar mitzvah with a celebration in Beth Aaron where their children have grown up and then, once again, a family simcha. Just us.
There is no party planner, no T-shirts, just a desire to be together with the people who love him the most. Parents do not often have the opportunity to tell their children how proud they are of them. They usually just shirk it off, but we have always felt that we need to let our children and grandchildren know that their actions and lives have given us tremendous nachat and pleasure.
By Rabbi Mordechai and Nina Glick
Mazel Tov, Dena, Moshe, Tamar, Zev, Noam and Eyal. We are proud to be your parents and grandparents.
