Meeting my Jewish cousin

Second Cousin Miriam (Bock) Spielman 22/02








This afternoon I arranged to meet Miriam at her flat she shares with her husband of 62 years, Pinchas. Both are in their late 80s. It is in a retirement home housed in an old hotel 10 mins from the centre of Jerusalem. They are both very active and vivacious people even in their late eighties with a huge family and greatly respected
within their community.They hold barmitzvahs
as well as doing alot of charity work.

I tell her about my recent visit to Berlin. I tell her about the house I visited there and painted which I hoped was her grandfather Jacob Bock's. It turns out it was! She lived in 34 Zeitenstrasse for some years with him, her mother Frida and older sister Ruth. It was given as a wedding present to her by her father. Miriams story is bitter sweet, filled with sadness but also incredible optimism and faith. She is deeply religious and we talk at length about each of our views on it. In fact during the meeting I am so overwhelmed by the questions she asks me about my beliefs and my upbringing I can't focus on the painting. She sees her life and religion as one. She cannot conceive of not having family. She is mother to 3 children and Grandmother/Great Grandmother to over 40 grandchildren! Its a revelation and so alien to my upbringing as only child. We look through albums which I later show to my father. He's never see a picture of his Grandfather Jacob Bock or his father when he is younger. We both come to terms with these new discoveries.