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Our Forefathers and Foremothers 55
the heart of the family
Lena was close with all of her brothers. They all were concerned about her, especially after she became widowed. Wherever the family lived, whether in New York or Los Angeles, Lena’s home was always the central point for all family gatherings. Glady carried on the tradition with her generation, and now, Pepper’s daughter, Susan, keeps tabs on her six brothers.
I don’t know if my mother was a good cook, but we all loved her chocolate cake and fought for a piece of it. I never had anything to compare it with until we moved to California. It was then that I learned how dry her cake actually was.
Above left
My great-grandmother, Eva Levine in New York. From left: Abe (age 6), Max (age 10), Moe (age 3) and my mother, Lena (age 8).
Below
My mother in Los Angeles, 1950s.