My great grandmother Ida was an off-the-boat immigrant from Russia.  Like most families who came through Ellis Island in the early 1900’s, she had nothing when she got to the United States. She and my great grandfather made a life for themselves on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.  It was a modest life, if that.  No matter how tight money was in my great grandmother’s house, Ida put a few coins in her Pushka (Yiddish for Charity Box) every Friday night for the poor.  Because even though my family had little, Ida was keenly aware that there were others … Continue reading →