My bubby

Please allow me to tell you today about a very special woman in my life and the lives of my family - my grandmother, Rebbetzin Chaya Liberman.

There is much to say about her life, as wife of the Rabbi of Antwerp Belgium, as partner in their great accomplishments and as role model for her community, but I'd like to tell you about my bubby.

My bubby’s life was her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. While she has many descendants - she was connected to each and every one of them, concerned at times, proud at others, but always thinking the best for us.

She was very modest in her own life; not only wasn't she looking for luxury for herself, but she would save and spend very little even on her necessities, so she can give to her children and grandchildren in abundance.

Her wish was that her descendants should make a difference in the Jewish world. She had the merit to see her grandchildren leading communities in every continent of the globe. She has grandchildren from Melbourne, Australia, and Ko Samui, Thailand through St. Petersburg, Russia, Zhitmoir, Ukraine, Nuremberg, Germany, Istanbul, Turkey and across Israel, all the way to Eastern US and Canada till Victoria, BC. While for her own sake she would have liked us to be closer to her - she cared much more for her grandchildren’s spiritual achievements than for her own comfort and pleasure.

There is one occasion when the cousins come together - for the convention of Chabad Rabbis and the convention of Chabad Rebetzins, when most of us would come to spend inspiring times with colleagues in New York.

Three months ago during the weekend of the Rabbis’ conference, my bubby showed up unannounced with my grandfather. She explained that she had decided on Friday to travel that Saturday night for a couple of days, to take advantage of the opportunity and see her grandchildren who she loved so much.

That was the last time she saw most of us, as this past Tuesday she suddenly passed away in her home in Antwerp, Belgium.  

I will remember my bubby for many things, but above all - for putting her family before herself, for traveling across the ocean in her old age to say hello to her grandchildren. Hello and goodbye. 

May her memory be of a blessing to our family and to all the Jewish people.