I love this, Jody. A few years ago, my sister became interested in our family history and it kind of sucked me in too. There's something about understanding where we came from, how everything and nothing can change over decades and centuries, that we are here because of others' stories, that is captivating. That we arrive in this world when and where we do sometimes seems like a dance between chance and fate.
I just read your post and had to look up the Pale of Settlement and saw that it was where Jewish people were "permitted to live" in what was formerly Lithuania and technically at that time, Russia. It always surprises me when I see words like that because I simply do not and will not ever understand how a government (or in that case, kingdom) can decide who can live where based on religion and/or ethnic identity. WTF?? I realize that this is still happening around the world and I was privileged to grow up in the U.S. where such things were outlawed (although they seem to be galloping back to my dismay and disgust). I love that your grandparents were able to get to the U.S. and that you've been able to find out more about them. Thank you for sharing their story in your always beautiful way!
Thanks for reading, Susan! It boggles my mind, too, how that kind of segregation was normal and that there actually are people who want to go back to it. I've been following official Lithuania feeds, and I officially love that country now. They're one of the biggest supporters of Ukraine because they know what's at stake after fighting free of Russia twice. Here's an incredible piece of history I just learned-- about the Baltic Way, a 400-mile-long human chain formed to demand independence from the USSR:
I love this, Jody. A few years ago, my sister became interested in our family history and it kind of sucked me in too. There's something about understanding where we came from, how everything and nothing can change over decades and centuries, that we are here because of others' stories, that is captivating. That we arrive in this world when and where we do sometimes seems like a dance between chance and fate.
Thanks, Maria! Well said. That's it exactly. I wish I'd known when I was younger how much I'd want to know those stories now.
I just read your post and had to look up the Pale of Settlement and saw that it was where Jewish people were "permitted to live" in what was formerly Lithuania and technically at that time, Russia. It always surprises me when I see words like that because I simply do not and will not ever understand how a government (or in that case, kingdom) can decide who can live where based on religion and/or ethnic identity. WTF?? I realize that this is still happening around the world and I was privileged to grow up in the U.S. where such things were outlawed (although they seem to be galloping back to my dismay and disgust). I love that your grandparents were able to get to the U.S. and that you've been able to find out more about them. Thank you for sharing their story in your always beautiful way!
Thanks for reading, Susan! It boggles my mind, too, how that kind of segregation was normal and that there actually are people who want to go back to it. I've been following official Lithuania feeds, and I officially love that country now. They're one of the biggest supporters of Ukraine because they know what's at stake after fighting free of Russia twice. Here's an incredible piece of history I just learned-- about the Baltic Way, a 400-mile-long human chain formed to demand independence from the USSR:
https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1090170/the-baltic-way-to-independence-30-years-since-the-landmark-human-chain-protest