Life According to Hannah

We were at the airport on our way to Athens, when something caught my eye. A t-shirt which explained “As it turns out, you don’t have to win the Lotto. Just let grandma take care of your trip”. And then we saw another t-shirt, and more and more. Over twenty people wearing the same t-shirt!

We had to get to the bottom of this. Who was this miraculous grandma?

I asked one of the lucky t-shirt wearers, who pointed me in the direction of Grandma Hannah. She was there, wearing the only orange shirt in the crowd. Hannah was responsible for all this generosity – inviting all her children and grandchildren to a week of fun at Club Med Greece.

It piqued my curiosity further. So I asked her and her family to explain.

Hannah is now 80, born in Jerusalem in 1935 to parents who came to Palestine from Turkey. Her parents had little money, they lived by the Mahaneh Yehuda market. Hannah married Yehezkel (Izzy) and they raised three children without financial means but with much love. Izzy was an industrial worker and Hannah a midwife assistant. Whatever money they had went first and foremost to education.

About eleven years ago, Izzy became ill with Alzheimer’s. Hannah refused to admit him into an institution and decided that he would be cared for at home. All the three children and grandchildren (ten or eleven of them), pitched in, taking turns to sleep over each and every single night. Izzy sadly died four years ago. Hannah decided to thank the family by inviting them to a week of fun in Greece.

The family were all smiles. There was the charming Lili, Hannah’s baby daughter, who works at Bituach Leumi.

Yinon, son of Lili, agreed to be my liaison, after all it’s one big family.

There was Eli, Lili’s husband. A 27 year detective veteran of the police force.

There was Yinon’s brother Raviv who is named after a friend of Eli who died in the Shlom Hagalil war.  Raviv writes limericks!! I would love to see some.

I met Abie, a retired bank executive and his wife Havi who teaches English. Her English, I hasten to add, is excellent.

And the middle daughter Miri, who worked at the Jewish Agency.

There was Chaim, the aerobics instructor, and his sleeping girlfriend.

And the photogenic Almog!

And many more grandchildren!!! Awake, sleeping, in the aisles.

Everywhere!

I wanted to get to know them all but the plane had begun its descent.

So just before buckling my seat belt, a final selfie with Hannah.

Grandmother to a lovely and dedicated family, close-knit, outgoing and friendly, and the amazing Hannah leading the pack. I hope that they have a marvellous vacation, they deserve it!

I asked Abie what the secret sauce was. “First and foremost a good education” he said. I can believe that.