Gently into the
Jewish life, or
My summer with Uncle Max
By Sandi Isaacson with Susan Rogers
This could also be called
"how I became an Orthodox Jew." The story goes back to my grandfather,
Sam, who was very active in his synagogue. I treasure the prayer book his
synagogue
presented to him in 1946, for making its 60th anniversary celebration such a success.
Because I was named for him, I felt a bond between us. He died before I
was born, but through Judaism I have always felt a connection to him.
Full of questions
The summer before my fifth grade year, our family took a
cross-country trip, and in Denver, I met my grandfather's middle brother. Uncle Max
was very warm to me because I was such an inquisitive 10-year-old, and also because he had
no girls. His son, Harris, was then in high school.
After that vacation, the adults arranged things, and before
going into the seventh grade, I spent the whole summer with my substitute grandfather and
his wife, Aunt Malvine. I had been told that Uncle Max was very observant, and that
I should "just put up with it." But it turned out to be a something special.
Sabbaths were magical
Max encouraged my interest in Judaism in a way that was
just
beautiful. Malvine would start talking to me on Tuesday about what we should have for the Sabbath and how should she cook the chicken. They made the Sabbath the
highlight of the week in a magical way I'd never seen anybody else do. I was not allowed soda during the week, but they would buy a six-pack of my favorite kind
just for the Sabbath.
Peers lined up
Before I arrived in Denver, Max obtained from the Jewish
Community Center the names of kids my age. He even spoke with their parents and
learned what kinds of activities they were involved in. Soon after my arrival, he took me
to the JCC and got me a guest pass. It wasn't long before I began to meet all these
peers with common interests.
Soda and chips
Max did set rules. It would get very, very
hot in the afternoons, although I didn't notice the heat without the humidity
that accompanied it back home. Max instituted rule requiring that I take a
quiet rest hour with one or two friends. But on the Sabbath, I was
allowed to invite 4 friends in the house, and we could have soda and chips. Max even worked
out something special with Malvine for the time period when she would lie down for her
Sabbath nap.
Nap-time chess
That would be my special time
with Max, and that was
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Sandi poses with Uncle Max by the lake at
the famous Broadmoor Hotel, in Colorado Springs, at the foot of the Rockies, one of his favorite
tourist
day trips from Denver.
when he started teaching me to play chess.
I was amazed at their gift for getting me to do what they wanted. For
example: I was not to go out because that was our chess time.
Cousin Harris may well remember me as a pain.
He is almost six years older than me, but there was one occasion when he
was nice enough to show me what he
was doing with his model building.
Shul with Max
On Friday, I would go with Max to shul. I was
little, so he could take me, and that was OK up to a certain age. He taught me the
structure of davening, but I never learned enough to keep up with him.
On the way back from shul, we would have a nice
leisurely walk and pass by other synagogues, which he would point out and tell
me all about.
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