A TRIBUTE TO MOLLIE B

Last January when we were in Israel, we got a phone call that we still have difficulty accepting. Our beloved Mollie B had passed away on Shabbat while we were in Jerusalem.

Long time KN readers know that we loved Mollie B, and spent many a wonderful Thanksgiving at her house with the whole family (and wrote about it in the KN). In addition, in March of every year, she also had corn beef and cabbage night. Not that it had anything to do with a certain Irish holiday!!!

Mollie grew up in Washington DC at a time when it was pretty much a quiet, Southern town. In her parents’ home, Yiddish was the spoken language, and Mollie spoke Yiddish with a pronounced Southern accent. Her English, too, was spoken more like a Southerner than a resident of the Frost Belt. Most of the time, Mollie spoke Yinglish- an amalgamation of both languages.

Mollie was a marvellous raconteur- no one ever told a story better than she did. Not only that, but Mollie greatly enjoyed her stories. Our daughter would sit at the turkey day table and Mollie would say, “Tali, show them how you do me!” As Tali would do her Mollie imitation, Mollie would laugh the loudest and the longest.

Mollie was blessed with an amazing ability to share her love with others. She was a most enthusiastic hugger. She had an uncanny ability to make every person with whom she spoke feel as if s/he was the most important person in Mollie’s life at that moment.

The other day, Mollie B’s son called and said, “You better start starving yourself because we are doing Thanksgiving at Mollie’s.” Unfortunately for us, we will not be there (we will be in Israel, please God). But nonetheless, getting the invite made us feel wonderful once again. How fantastic to know that Mollie’s kids (and we are all Mollie’s kids-even those of us in our late 50’s) will continue her tradition of setting an amazing holiday table.

The truth is, we miss Mollie something terrible. We take solace that God was good to her and took her quickly and on shabbat. Mollie’s name was Malkah. On that shabbat, one malkah came and another left.

Mollie B- we miss you and will always love you. You were the Queen of a great family, and for those of us who knew you and loved you, you are still our Malkeleh.