Rhode Island Monthly May/June 2020 | Page 131

and no money. He got the GI bill. A friend of his who was in the army with him told him to go to Vienna to study because the American dollar is very strong there and with the GI bill he would get $110 a month. I was in the town of Graz, and so that’s where we met. And that was it! Instead of going to Israel to be with my parents, I came to America with him. And we had to come to Providence. When we came over, Providence was doing really bad. The jewelry business was going under. Although for the two years we were here, I worked at Brown University as a research associate in the chemistry department. He was also a chemist. We moved to New Jersey because it was a big industry for chemists. We had good jobs. My two sons were born there. But he always wanted to come back to Providence. It was home for him. So, we moved back to Providence and I had no regrets. No way. It was home. We owned a house on Savoy Street for forty-six years. Looking back, we always said we made the right decision to come home. At that time, years ago, we didn’t go out much to restaurants. We had dinners at the house. We invited people over and we dressed up in long dresses and the men came in ties. And we had people over to play the game of bridge. We went to the Philharmonic, although it wasn’t as good as now. In the summer we sometimes rented a place in Narragansett for a week. We loved the ocean. Now, I have a yearly subscription to the Gamm and I go to the Philharmonic. I still cook a little bit, but not too much anymore. I still like to play bridge, too. For sixteen years, I was a docent at Roger Williams Park Zoo. I really love animals. And I still go to water aerobics twice a week. Sometimes, I also talk in schools to children. Unfortunately, my husband died young but he always felt very happy here. And me, too. I wouldn’t budge from Providence. We made it our life here. For some survivors like my husband, they went through hell. Many were bitter after. But maybe, because he was younger, he was very optimistic and always with a smile even after everything. I never realized it. Life was not easy all the time. But I don’t look back. Maybe I am lucky. What was, was. It was bad times, but I don’t dwell. I don’t look back, I only look ahead. I just roll with the punches. I am really fortunate. 2020-21 SEASON ANNOUNCED We’re preparing for when the stage lights come on again. Join us! Packages start at $20 per ticket. 2020-21 SEASON COMING SOON Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street • Sweat Tiny Beautiful Things • Fairview • The Diary of Anne Frank • Anna K. Plus! A Christmas Carol and The Prince of Providence TRINITYREP.COM • (401) 351-4242 • 201 WASHINGTON ST. • PROVIDENCE For FREE digital content now, visit trinityrep.com/theshowgoeson SEASON SPONSORS L TO R: ERICK BETANCOURT, SCOTT AIELLO & CHARLIE THURSTON IN THE PRINCE OF PROVIDENCE • PHOTO BY MARK TUREK Kitchen Design Center Your Personality, Our Expertise. 7736 Post Rd., North Kingstown • 401.294.6500 • heritagekitchendesignri.com RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l MAY/JUNE 2020 129