My mother was a dedicated professional, an advocate for children from all walks of life who were suffering in abusive family situations. She was incredibly dedicated to families and their children who were in need of support from foster kids, to children from divorced families, to children in abusive households, to children and families from the NorthWest Territories namely, the Inuit who required translators, medical care etc.
- She raised 3 rambunctious children (and, speaking for myself, children that were insanely unruly and unyielding in every possible manner)
- She put her children into music lessons and sports and drove them to hockey practices at 6 am an hour outside of town week in and week out.
- She took care of the household and did all the cooking until her sons were mature enough and able to pitch in.
- She was the stoic and iron clad beacon of support for her husband’s career in the competitive world of Art and Watercolor painting.
- She organized events and showings and gallery openings and private viewings of her husband Morton’s work.
- She also organized an exhibition entitled ARTLINK that brought work from Israeli Artists to Galleries in Ottawa the Nation’s Capital.
- She reached out to families from the Israeli Embassy in Ottawa and diplomatic core as well for many years.
This is a brief synopsis of her career in social work:
- The Children’s Aid Society
- Dealing mostly with Foster home child care
- Counseling Services for the Inuit population that arrived in the City of Ottawa
- Children’s Aid Society, Divorce Reports Court
- St. Mary’s Maternity Home, group work
- Counselling with unmarried mothers
- Social Work Project published for McGill University, Major Researcher
- Child Abuse Demonstration Project: International Year of the Child, Director
- Working with families dealing with child abuse situations
- Family Court Consiliator/Liason
- Preparing documents between family Lawyers and the local Magistrates
- Ottawa Distress Centre, Staff Social Worker
- Ottawa Civic Hospital Vascular Ward, Social Work Liaison
Oh and not to mention her writer career—in her latter years—taking courses and writing classes going to seminars, she came to Toronto on several occasions taking courses when she was learning to hone her skills for writing Children’s books. She also is part of a group in Ottawa called The Scribbling Sisters – a writing support group in her hometown. Then of course she became the Shtetl Queen…and the rest is happening live to air…
— David, Coleman, and Lawrence, proud sons