I am very fortunate to have grown up in constant contact and proximity to my Mother's parents. My Baba and Zaide have always been so close to me that it came as quite a shock when I learned that not everyone sees their grandparents several times a week.

Almost all of my most cherished childhood memories include Freda and Chaim Kuper. I can't think of my favourite foods or articles of clothing without immediately being reminded of things that my Grandmother has made. Every room in my home contains at least one article of furniture that was built by my Grandfather.

Freda Posesorski and Chaim Kuper became fast and permanent friends after meeting for the first time, in 1920, in their home shtetl of Stoczek, Poland.

In 1939 they joined forever by committing themselves to each other as husband and wife.

The first decade of their union was a tumultuous one. Every Jew living in Eastern Europe in 1939 was subjected to unimaginable hardship and suffering. Every survivour of the Holocaust has a unique and heroic story to tell. Chaim and Freda endured deportation, hard labour, starvation, imprisonment, and refugee camps before arriving in Montreal with two young daughters (Ana and Bella) on a cold winter day in 1950.

I have only known my Baba and Zaide in peaceful and prosperous circumstances. It is impossible for me to truly appreciate the strength and commitment that enabled them to overcome the hardships they were forced to face. I seriously doubt whether I would have the fortitude to prevail under similar circumstances.

My Grandparents with their daughters Ana and Bella.

Freda and Chaim at home in their Toronto Apartment in the spring of 1998.

A moment to relax at the home of their daughter. Freda and Chaim are rarely found at rest.

Celebrating Chaim's 82^nd Birthday in July, 1996.

Chaim in a rare reunion with three of his four siblings. Sister Rachel and Itchele live near Tel-Aviv and brother Shloime (top left) in Florida and New York State.

Freda and her niece Berta Gojer who is visiting from Dallas Texas. Berta's Mother, Ethel, was Freda's older sister who helped Freda an Chaim emigrate to Cuba, enroute to Canada in 1948.

Baba has never learned to let others do the work. Even at a brunch celebrating her birthday, she can't be prevented from helping to clean up.

No one makes chicken soup like my Baba. In this picture, Freda is preparing this magical elixir in the kitchen of her Florida condominium.

This picture was taken in Florida in the fall of 1995. The occasion was a dinner in honour of Chaim's brother Shloime's birthday.
Though the extended Kuper clan is rather extensive and often quite exclusive, Freda has always been held in the highest regard by all of its members.

The Passover holiday is always my favourite time of year. Between Baba's traditional cooking and Zaide's unique way of leading the Seder, there can be no finer place to be in the entire world. 
We even get to wear the "funny hats" - mine was hand-made by Freda.

Freda and Chaim relax in the Berman kitchen on the afternoon before the 2001 first Seder.

The house is a very friendly place to be at this time. There are countless good food smells and everyone is in a great mood in anticipation of the upcoming seder - the Passover festive meal.

Freda's illness in the spring of 2000 meant that we did not get to celebrate Passover that year.

Because we missed out on this most festive of holidays, the following Pesach, spent together as a family, was even more joyous than ever before.

Here, Chaim blesses the wine at the beginning of the Seder.

Knitting and crocheting are among Baba's many talents. Here she is teaching granddaughter Rani some tricks of the trade.
All of her Grandchildren count several garments made by their Baba amongst their favourites.

Freda (as usual) outshines the bride and bridesmaids at yet another wedding.

No wonder grandson Hal is smiling...he is dancing with the most beautiful lady at the ball!

Freda's Parents and much of her family were among the six million Jews who were killed in the Holocaust. Every year, at Passover, our family remembers those that did not escape the Nazis.

The candleholder was built by Chaim and later donated to Bialik Hebrew Day School in Toronto.

Every family occasion (in this case the 56^th birthday of daughter Bella) is made more memorable because we can share our happiness with each other. Freda is seen here with Grandson Blair, Bella, Granddaughter Rani, and son-in-law Stanley.

On July 17, 1994, Chaim celebrated his 80^th birthday in the company of many of his closest family members from around the world.

If you hold your mouse cursor steady over each of the faces in the picture above, you will see exactly who came to the party.

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