Just before Shabbos last week, my dear grandmother passed away (my father OBM ‘s mother).

Just four short months ago, my grandfather (my mother’s father) passed away. And a month before that, his wife, my grandmother, passed away. Are you confused yet? (Now try being one of my kids!)

Don’t worry, you are not the only one. I am confused too. Sad, and frankly lost. Is this some conspiracy? Is G-d engaging in cancel culture?

These three individuals are not just my grandparents; they are giants that literally shaped the Jewish world we know today. Each one comes from very different worlds, societies and upbringings and each has shown us the values of life and Judaism.

Bubby Aronow came from an established Chabad family from Russia and eventually made it to Toronto with her parents and new husband. Zaidy Aronow was orphaned at a young age, forcing him to fend for himself and could have easily fallen off the beaten path. Yet against all odds he established a strong Chabad family and taught us how to never compromise on our Jewish values and Chasidic behavior.

Bubby Moscowitz came from the polar opposite. She grew up in the posh Rogers Park suburbia farmland. In a non-religious home. Her father, whom I have the merit to be named after, was the president of a traditional shul and they were very active in the community as well as in supporting Israel.

In those days, Hebrew schools were for boys only. But Bubby insisted that she wanted to learn as well and pulled her “connections” and was the first and only girl in Hebrew school! A real trailblazer. And she didn’t stop there. When she married my grandfather, may he live and be well, they continued to break stereotypes and planted the seeds for a strong Jewish community.

They were both public school teachers, yet they worked overtime to convince parents to send their kids to the Jewish Day School, thus turning the tide on Jewish Chicago. Much ink can be spilled describing their self-sacrifice to ensure Judaism would thrive in Chicago.

They just celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary and all who knew them can attest that they were the model couple, showing us how to sustain and make a relationship blossom!

Bubby was passionate about taharat hamishpocha, family purity; going out of her way and taking of her own time to ensure others had a happy marriage.

So now that these giants passed, do we just move on? Talk about them for a few days and then store them in a history book??

It is already a whole seven years since my father passed away. The other day a youngster laughed at me and said - “Enough already about your father. Stop living in the past; move on.“

But that is CANCEL CULTURE. Our Rebbe taught us v'hachai yiten el libo. That the living should take to heart. It is our rich past that sustains our future. It is these giants; their values, that guarantee the world doesn’t go up in smokes, that keep us on the straight and narrow.

So is G-d engaging in Cancel Culture, G-d forbid!? He is testing us. Why he called them back, I do not know, but he is telling us:

I gave you the tools and sent you role models, teachers, mentors, now you have to carry the torch forward!

So instead of taking advice from the new age America to forget and move on, we are going to complete The City Mikvah – Mei Daniel and now we will dedicate a room to remember my Bubby’s dedication to this special mitzvah. Because this is a monument that can never be removed as it is an active tribute to a bright Jewish future ahead.

You can get involved and make memorial contributions at CityMikvah.com.

Wishing you and yours a warm Shabbat Shalom with many simchas and happy occasions!