family first – our identity stories

Hi everyone!
this is our book, here you can reflect on our personal stories, some of the struggles we had along the way, and get a sense of who we are.
hope you will enjoy it.
Love, group 20.

My relationship with my grandma is truly one of a kind. From the very first day I was born until I started going to kindergarten, my grandma had been looking after me. Since both of my parents were working long days, I spent a lot of time with my grandma, including weekends and holidays. Lunch was a serious business for my grandma, and in order for me to finish everything off my plate, she use to tell me horrifying stories during meal times (I wonder what educators and child-psychologists would say about that…). I must admit that I loved so much listening to those strange stories about weird people back then in Morocco. Besides, they were highly effective since nothing was left on the plate, which means that grandma successfully completed her heroic task. There is no doubt my grandma is the most influential person in my life and she helped shaping the person I am today.

-by Coral Barsano

Every family has her story, and mine starts with my grandparents. Ever since I was a child I was curious to learn more about my grandparents’ life in Morocco before coming to Israel and about their life in the Maabarot when they first arrive here. I love listening to their stories about more innocent and simpler times and Im sympathizing their pain when they reminiscent the time they were put in Maabarot. Growing up with those stories has defiantly shape my identity and form who I am. My “Mizrahi” heritage is an important part of my identity and my grandparents are my role models for willpower and self-reliance.

 – by Nufar Kaspi

By looking at my grandmas’ eyes you would never imagine to yourself which difficultiies and struggles she had to cope with, as an innocent young girl. The ordinary daily routine was broken when Hitler rised to power and World war two had begun at 1939. At the moment my grandmas’ parents came to realization that they should find an appropriate solution for my young grandma and her sister. Eventually they had managed to find the ultimate solution, non-Jew who hid them and took care of them. World war two had been finished and my grandma and her sister were survived but had to deal with the fact that they need to take care of thier life by themselves since thier parents and thier old brother were killed by the Nati in Auschwitz. The knowing of how my grandma’s family was obliterated for unjustified hatred engraved in my memory forever and remind me that I should respect any person for who he is and equally and most of all iit makes be proud of my identity as a jew.

• by Noy Rolnik

Forming my identity has not been connected to one thing, but I can say that living with my grandparents for seven years has affected it a lot in many ways. I was the first granddaughter; everyone looked at me like I was supposed to be the perfect, cute, polite who respects everybody. After hearing not so say listening to all of this I decided to be the person I choose and want to be, not the one they expect me to be. The way they wanted me to be formed my identity, I became the one I want to be; confidant, revolutionary and maybe a lady.

-by Haneen Dahle

Forming my identity has been hard for me, because of several reasons. The first reason was when I was a young girl, I was in a school that was very strict and felt like there was no freedom to be who I am, as if I was trapped in a box. Growing up with my grandparents gave me a sense of freedom every day after school. I had responsibilities, taking care of three younger sister s, and being a good role model sister. After the death of my grandmother, I felt a whole buried deep inside of me that cannot be filled, until the birth of my baby brother. He was a reason that I could smile every day and be who I am whenever I was taking care of him. The sense of responsibility is what makes me who I am today and what I will be in the future, a strong independent young lady.

-by Iman Sbeih

I have heard many significant stories from my grandparents when I was younger. The most significant one was when I had to do my big project on elementary school about my family. My mother told me about their immigration to Israel from Russia and about the difficulties they’ve experienced when she was a kid. This was very hard for me to listen but so interesting you couldn’t help but ask for more stories.

by Karin Hason