Nina Ehrmantrout

MOM

Tonight begins Rosh Hashana--the Jewish New Year, which is called in the Bible--the Feast of Tabernacles. This festival begins the "10 Days of Awe" which are deep days of reflection and introspection among Hebrew people all over the World. This holiday is commemorated by "round" Challah Bread--Sweet Apples dipped in Honey--to remind us of the "sweetness" of our being members of the covenant between God and the Israelite people; I especially love this holiday--as the sound of the Ram's Horn is sounded in it's varying blasts--"Tekiah--Tekiah--Tekiah;" each sound of the mighty Shofar building anticipation for the New Year to come. However, this year will be a different celebration; one where smiles will be present, but only to cover tears and shouts of joy are present but sound a little "forced" to say the least.

Last night, on the Eve of Rosh Hashana, YHVH--the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob--who we call "Jesus Christ" completed something started over 75 years ago when in His perfect will He chose to call home my Mother--now of blessed memory. Nina Ehrmantrout was a frail little woman--with a feisty demeanor--and a French accent that at times made me think of "Lebau" on Hogan's Hero's-- She was immigrant to the United States, who made her way to the "Land of the Free" and "The Home of the Brave" many decades ago. I'm not even sure we know where my Father Milo met her--but I am thankful that He did. After a vicious divorce separated my Father and my birth Mother Judy, my Father was bumping through the walls of life--broken hearted and wondering what the next 40 years of his life would be like.

My Father met Nina some 36 years ago now--and married her; my Father remarked on several occasions of the fact that Nina Ehrmantrout was the missing link to His happiness and that they were very happy together. At no time did I ever hear them yell at one another--see them fight--or hear a cross word uttered between them; were they there--certainly, as they were human--I just never once witnessed it. I tried hard to make Nina's life miserable--because she had the audacity of marrying my Father--and She was not my birth Mother--which made her open game for tormenting--especially if you are a 13 year old boy. She weathered the storms that I caused, and even in the deepest despair of my long and silent drug addiction--Nina often spoke kind words of soothing comfort and encouragement to me--while never wavering in her love.

Now in my family dynamic--my Father and I are very close--and my Brother and Sister are and remain closer to our birth Mother Judy. But, let me state for the record that this is no indictment of my birth Mother--may she be ever blessed for giving me life and many other things; I only mention it as a statement of fact. Because I was closer to Dad, I eventually grew much closer to my "Step-Mother"-- if there even is any such a thing as a "Step-Parent?" This is because Mom never made me feel like a "Step" or "Unwanted-Outside" anything. Even so, no matter how much trouble I gave her when I was young--Mom just continued to love me and be kind to me at some of the lowest points of my life. Through prison and rehabilitation--Mom was steadfastly at my Father's side--loving me, and being there for my family. It was this continuous love that over time, began to blur those lines of "Step" and phrases like "My Father's Wife" replacing them with "Mother" and lastly as "Friend." You see --before I new it--Nina Ehrmantrout had taken a deep and resounding place in my heart--that place of "Mother." Our relationship was good and strong until the end and one of my greatest life's joy's will be the knowledge that Sarah and I were blessed with the opportunity to supply my Mother and Father's last Thanksgiving Day meal that they would ever share together; a meal my Father said Mom definitely enjoyed.

I could reminisce for hours, but just let me say that I will miss Mother in ways I never thought possible; but the enduring blessing of my belief in Jesus Christ is that through His sacrificial love and gift of grace--that the pain of separation is now soothed as His gift will result in our seeing each other once again--face to face--never to be separated again by the residuals of Adam's fall. This gives me joyous hope in times of struggle and will give my family the peace--in the storm of life's trials--that will allow us to all sleep without fear of being separated--with no hope and no peace in this life. When I was 13--I perceived that I had lost my Father; the truth however is that not only did I not loose Him--but this time He gave me a gift that will forever be the twinkle in my eye and the gleam in my smile--you see God and my Father gave me two Mothers to love me and care for me; and what I was certain of at the young age of 13 was a great "curse"--became one of my life's greatest blessings: My Mom: Mrs. Nina Ehrmantrout.

Shalom Alechem and L'Shannah Tovah