KNIT
Knit one.... Purl two…Yarn Over… My hands involuntarily glide from one stitch to the next as I listen to the colorful anecdotes of the women at the rustic three-legged wooden table. Every Saturday morning at Knit, Sheryl, Ellen and Paula share melancholy stories of the poverty associated with life during the Great Depression just as quickly as they transition to the jubilant lives of their great grand-children. Each weekend, I open my mind up to a world defined by traditional family values, loyalty to community, and an emerging confidence in a woman’s role in modern American society. As I think about the tragedies and joys of their lives, I reflect upon the tapestry of my own life, woven together by a firm commitment to community, a genuine passion for music, and a strong desire to be part of a generation which advances the achievements of women in the fields of science and medicine.
Faith…The Jewish Community has always been an integral part of my life, as I have fond memories of leading services at my local synagogue on Sunday mornings and of anxiously reciting the four questions on the first two nights of Pesach. The traditions from my great-grandparents have become woven into the fabric of my life as I bake Great Grandma Rose’s classic potato latkes recipe on the first night of Chanukah. With a strong desire to learn about the intricacies of the Hebrew language, the rich history of the Jewish people and the struggles that they have encountered and overcome throughout history, I chose to attend Hebrew School at an extremely early age. I feel a special kinship with my great-grandmother who knitted sweaters for underprivileged members of her community, and I seek to help others in need by knitting squares with the most veteran members of the congregation.
Music…My mother often jokes that while other babies were screaming at the top of their lungs, my shrieks had a rhythm of their own. Music has been inextricably connected with my life, and it has...