Aliyah on My Mind

Thursday, August 31, 2006

The Letter

It's a slow day in blogland, so I'll take this opportunity to write about my aliyah requirements. As I've mentioned before, my grandfather (may he rest in peace) was Jewish, and it's solely because of his ancestry that I'm eligible for aliyah. I'm sure that he would have been both mystified and happy about my desire to make aliyah.

A quick synopsis of our relationship: as a child and young teen, I visited him multiple times every year. Our relationship was tempestuous-- he had very high expectations, and enjoyed putting me to the test, and I had a smart mouth. When I was nearly 16, we had a falling out which lasted about 20 years, when I moved to Florida. Our falling out concerned both of us being extremely stubborn.

I didn't move to Florida because of him, but the positive change in our relationship certainly helped! Once I moved here, I visited him frequently, made his favorite foods (blintzes, lox and bagels-- what else?) and we regained our old relationship. I cherish that time with him, which lasted almost a year before he passed away. I wish he could be here to know about my plans, but still, at least I have the hope that he sees me.

His passing away has complicated my aliyah plans, though. I need proof from a rabbi about my ancestry, and he was the natural person to obtain that. What the agency needs is a letter from a rabbi stating that my grandfather was Jewish and born to a Jewish mother. Since my granddad can't help me, the next people recommended by the agency are his siblings, my great aunt and uncle.

Wow, this is going to be uncomfortable. Who to ask for the letter? I don't think either of them belongs to a temple. I am not positive about my great uncle, but I'm sure that my great aunt doesn't. I don't relish the thought of putting either of them in this position for my sake. My great uncle is a very nice guy, and has been supportive, so I'm trying to get the chutzpah to ask him.

Yeah, I think he's the one to ask. He lives in California, and since I moved from there 5 years ago, we really lost touch. But he has been very helpful of late. Incidently, we had a good conversation last week. I told him I'd been doing some ancestry research recently, and did he know his grandmother's name was Yetta Rosenthal? Yes, he did know, and he suggested I name a daughter after her. Isn't that sweet?

Can't someone else do this for me?? What if I didn't have any relatives, what then? As you can tell, I am really dreading asking for help with obtaining the letter. I can whine all I want, but at some point, this is a bridge I will have to cross.

Wish me luck!

4 Comments:

  • Here's a thought........do you know where your grandfather was buried? Is it possibly in a Jewish cemetary? Possibly have ANY jewish writing on the gravestone? Also, if you know the city where he was born, can't you contact the local authorities there to get birth records? Marriage certificate? Hopefully your uncle will be able to help you, even if you could get a name of a synagogue where he was once a member, you could get some archived records from them? Don't give up! You'll find what you're looking for soon enough! :)

    By Blogger Toto, at 7:43 PM  

  • There's always conversion. Not that, as a religious Jew, I'm allowed to encourage conversion. And you'll have to work out the Jesus thing too. But just a possibility.

    By Blogger Ephraim, at 8:31 AM  

  • Emah S-
    Those are good ideas, and I may have to use them! Were you a PI in a past life?? :) I don't think my granddad was ever a member of a synagogue, but I am requesting some archives from L.A. county in California. $55 per document, by the way.

    Evan-
    That's funny. Both times I've called the Aliyah Center, they've encouraged conversion! I should blog about those conversations..
    I didn't know that the religious were not supposed to encourage conversion. That's news to me! Why is that the case? I'm flattered when people consider me a conversion candidate. :)(Actually, my mom also suggested it a couple of weeks ago!)

    By Blogger Yaakova, at 5:49 PM  

  • If your grandpa was a member of a Shul they will have records. Similarly, if any of his siblings are or were members of a Shul they will also have their names in a filing cabinet somewhere. To be a member of a Shul you have to be Jewish, so the rabbi shouldn't have a problem writing a letter for you.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:07 PM  

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