All four of my grandparents immigrated to the USA from Eastern Europe at the turn of the 20th century. I wrote these songs to preserve their journeys and honor their memories.

The Tanner

  • The story of my father’s father, David Aronson, born Itzik Aron in Shkudvill, Lithuania.

My research into immigration records went smoothly, but I struggled with ideas for the song. On March 28, 2013, I woke up at 3 am with lyrics and a melody in my head. I wrote the words down and transcribed the melody as quickly as I could move my pen. Only later did I realize that day was my grandfather’s 125th birthday. Maybe he wrote the song!

Husiatyn

  • The story of my mother’s mother, Leah Goodman of Husiatyn, Austria (now Ukraine).

As a child, My Grandma Sachs told me stories about her father, Sam Guttman, who worked as a tailor in Husiatyn making uniforms for Franz Yosef’s army, and how he met her mother. Many years later, I cross-checked her stories with the entry for Husiatyn in Pinkas Kehillot, an anthology of histories of destroyed Jewish communities from survivor accounts recorded by Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Israel. All of her stories and timelines were consistent with the official accounts. How could I have even considered otherwise?

Happy Go Lucky

  • The story of my mother’s father, Maurice Sachs, and his parents, Lev and Shlava Sachs, from Kelme, Lithuania.

Shlava (Sylvia) Mervis was born of a wealthy family, educated and refined. Lev Sachs was poor, coarse, of untraceable lineage, and said to be obsessed with South Africa. How and why did they end up together in Chicago raising my Grandpa Maurice and his siblings? Impossible to know for certain, but this version fits the known facts and provides plausible motives. And makes a great sing-along! I used poetic license to fill the gaps, and, to fit the song rhythm, I changed Lev’s name – which he did also.

No Rainbows

  • The story of my father’s mother, Regina Seifert, of Lubaczov and Lviv.

This was the hardest to research and write. The documents are inconsistent. How could Regina have come to the US alone at age 16? Why Lubaczov AND Lviv? Again, I had to fill gaps. Thanks to my cohort at the Omega Institute Songwriter’s Workshop in August 2023 for helpful comments, and for leading me to realize that Grandma Aronson’s story is best sung with a klezmer melody.