"WE LEAVE AND YOU STAY. BE TOGETHER."
Upon learning that her grandson would meet a cousin’s daughter, our octogenarian cousin Galina, a retired pediatrician, offered sage advice, “We leave, and you stay. Be together.” That brings to mind my favorite Hebrew phrase, L'dor v'dor, meaning from generation to generation.
The online definition of that astute phrase shows it “signifies the responsibility to preserve and pass on traditions, teachings, and values across time. It's a concept deeply ingrained in Judaism, emphasizing the importance of continuity and the enduring legacy of culture and knowledge.“
In an email dated October 20, 2023, from her home in Sochi, Russia, my cousin Natalia wrote about meeting the grandson of her father’s cousin Galina and shared what Galina told her.
Galina’s father and Natalia’s paternal grandfather were my father’s first cousins. See Our Cousins, Our Heroes, dated March 22, 2022, and From Russia With Love, dated December 7, 2021, at sharonmarkcohen.com.
The cover pages of those blog posts each show a picture of Galina’s father, whom she never knew, as her mother was pregnant with Galina when her father’s plane was shot down during World War II. Connecting with Galina’s family, while living worlds apart, is nothing short of a miracle.
The October 2023 email, written in English, came from Наталья = Natalia. Natalia's email began with the usual pleasantries, asking about my family and me. Then, she wrote, “Every Tuesday I read your blog as usual with great pleasure.”
Knowing that my cousin in Russia is reading my weekly posts is a huge yet unimaginable thrill. I often wonder how this ever happened. Like me, she has a tremendous interest in our family history, and when I write about my paternal ancestry, I delight in knowing that I am feeding her soul.
Natalia went on to list the participants in the wedding she attended in St. Petersburg in August 2023, providing important names and dates to add to the family tree.
“I went to St. Petersburg for a [cousin’s] wedding by plane. It took me 4.5 hours. I also spent another 10 days and visited many museums that I haven't been to for several years. The most famous museum is the Hermitage. It was the fine weather, which is not typical for this place at all. It was very warm and there was no rain at all…
I learned that after the wedding, the newlyweds went on their honeymoon to Alicante, Spain, where [his parents, Natalia’s aunt and uncle,] have a house. Natalia continued with information about the groom’s sister and her family, which includes three children. Touchingly, by the way, when the youngest was born, Natalia told me she hoped that her cousin would name her Sharon.
Further in the email, Natalia shared news of another trip, “Two weeks ago I visited St. Petersburg again because of the anniversary of the death of my beloved daddy on October 5.”
Excitingly, she added, “This time I was able to meet one of Galina's grandchildren. His name is Ilya. He is 31 years old. I often think about your help in finding relatives. The search for ancestors was a powerful impetus to the search for the living… And again, thanks to you, I get to know my relatives, the connection with whom was lost more than 70 years ago.”
“Now,” Natalia continued, “I'm getting to know her children and grandchildren, my cousins. Ilya lives in St. Petersburg. He got a higher education and stayed to live here. Ilya is engaged in the production of snacks for a healthy diet from fruits and nuts.”
Natalia shared as much as she knew about Galina’s three very accomplished children and her grandchildren. She wrote, “I am glad and excited to meet Ilya. Now I understand how you feel when you find and meet our relatives all over the United States. Galina's grandson is an incredibly sweet and well-mannered young man. Galina wanted our meeting. She said one phrase to me yesterday on the phone: «We leave, and you stay. Be together».
“Hugs,
“Natalia”
Google Translate helped me understand the postscript signed in Russian, “With respect, Natalia.”
That captures the essence of our wonderful communication and the importance of the generations of our family to, as our cousin Harry Langsam, when quoting from the Bible, implored, “Tell your children about it, And let your children tell theirs, And their children the next generation” (Joel 1-3).” With Harry’s immense help, Natalia and I got the ball rolling from across the globe and hope to continue our exploration and share meaningful connections ad infinitum.
The father Galina had never met