by Laura Weisskopf Bleill
The other day a tree showed up at my mom’s door. The baby blue spruce had been sent to her by a dear friend of mine who has been in my life since middle school, but who I rarely see anymore because of geography. Although we live 3,000 miles away from each other, our hearts are never far apart.
I’m not sure if she realized how appropriate her gesture — sent in memory of my dear grandmother — really is.
One of my grandmother’s favorite prayers — in fact, a creed she lived by — was Proverbs 3:18 “It is a tree of life to those that hold fast to it; and all of its supporters are happy.”
The tree of life is a symbol that has meaning across many religions and mythologies, but in Judaism it traditionally refers to the Torah itself (the five books of Moses).
My grandmother was a person who had a clear vision of her faith. It was strong, resilient, and uncompromised.
Several years ago, I was asked to introduce my grandmother at a ceremony where she was honored for her significant contributions to her local Jewish community. At the time, I wrote in my speech:
“Nana lives by the creed, it is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it. That tree blossoms in her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. And now the branches extend way beyond our immediate family.”
As soon as possible, I am going to take the girls to a local nursery to pick out a new “Nana” tree to plant in our yard.
Someday, its canopy will shelter us — as she once did.
Someday, it will be a source of beauty — as she was a beautiful person inside and out.
Someday, it will be a constant visual reminder — of the power of faith.
Come this Friday night, when I go to Sinai Temple to say the Mourner’s Kaddish (the memorial prayer) for my grandmother, there will be at least one other prayer that means just as much.
It is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it.
Amen.
Laura Weisskopf Bleill, a co-founder of chambanamoms.com, and her favorite tree is the red pine. She writes “Being a Jew in C-U,” a column about being a Jewish suburban girl in a cornfield, on Thursdays. You can reach her at laura@chambanamoms.com.