Raizel, you are named after my mom, Raizel bat Miriam ve Moshe HaCohen AKA Grandmama. Grandmama was born on February 14 1949, Tu B’Shevat and died on November 16th 2014, the 23rd of Cheshvan at the age of 65.
One day when you google Grandmama (Dr. Roslyn Yomtovian), you will find pages of scholarly work. From Blood transfusions to AIDS research, your Grandmama was a very well-known Pathologist. Even to this day, strangers ask if my mom was, The Dr. Y. After googling her, you will have no doubt of her professional success and may even get a sense of how generous she was. But Raizel Chaya, it is up to me and your family to constantly remind you of the greatness of your Grandmama’s soul, a soul that has been watching over you since you kicked your way out of my uterus and onto my bed and a soul that will continue to guide you on your journey.
Your Grandmama had a very special connection to Hashem. Whenever she gave a speech, wrote an article or sent a card, first and foremost she thanked G-d. Even during her 10 year struggle with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, G!d was never the bad guy. She loved G!d, praised G!d and surrendered to G!d’s control. G!d was her compass. Still, to this day, no one says Baruch Hashem as much as Grandmama.
I bless you, Raizel Chaya, that through your ups and downs –you always feel a never-ending gratitude towards Hashem – and maybe even beat your Grandmama’s Baruch Hashem record
Your Grandmama was full of baseless love and lashon hara was not part of her vocabulary. As a doctor, she treated her patients with unlimited kindness. As a mother she gave everything that she could to her children. As a daughter she had the utmost kavod for her parents. As a sister, she was always there for her two brothers, and as a human she saw, listened and gave to the stranger. It’s not about grades, achievements and accomplishments, she would say. Those are just garnishes – not the real substance.
I bless you, Raziel Chaya, that just as your Grandmama saw a piece of G!d in every person, that you too have the ability to honor, respect and love the other.
Your Grandmama knew what her Avodah was in this world and went after it. She was the first Jewish woman physician in St. Cloud Minnesota. Her go get it attitude was not only reserved for her career. She proposed to your Babajoon after just three dates by saying, I don’t want to hanky panky and throughout her illness she was always one step ahead of her healthcare team.
I bless you, Raizel Chaya, that just like your Grandmama you wake up a like a lion every day and sieze every opportunity to bring your light into this world.
Your Grandmama knew how to Lehiyot Be Simcha (Be happy)! She loved to drink beer, watch baseball go bowling and would never turn down an opportunity to celebrate with family and friends.
I bless you, Raizel Chaya that no matter what G!d throws at you, you know how to tap into simcha. Grandmama’s bowling ball is yours when you are ready.
Grandmama would sign cards she wrote to me, “from one soul to another” – I realize– after having a baby myself- that she was giving me a great gift– that of an eternal mother. Which is what I hope to be for you
She believed that children choose their parents and that she actually learned more from us than we did from her – I don’t think so Grandmama! She used to say, “Sometimes I wonder who is the mother and who is the daughter.” How she must be smiling right now – at the beauty of this moment – The daughter of Raizel now the mother of Raizel ....