Nonna
was buried earlier today ... In light of the reality of today's world,
the funeral was small, and led by R' Suiza with warmth and love, the
same way he led Nonnou's funeral ~19 years ago. It was tough for us to
be 'virtual guests,' instead of there ... but at least my dear Nonna is
now resting peacefully ... I would like to share Dad's hesped about his
mother ... and a few more pictures with his words as commentary ...
Enjoy the trip down memory lane for those who knew this awesome lady ...
To quote a dear friend, I hope our family can find comfort that "she
will ALWAYS be proud - wherever she is - by those she left behind who
reflect and represent the legacy she inspired."
Ke repose en Gan Eden muy kerida Nonna ... Ijico de la Nonna is heart broken ...
***
My Mother Silvia Piha, was born in the Belgian Congo on 30th March 1930
to Sadoc and Lea Israel, who were both born in Rhodes, six months into
the Great Depression, which lasted for another nine years. She was what
we call a tomboy in English. She would climb trees to pick mangoes and
play with boys. She was not a girly girl, but grew into a beautiful
woman that could have easily been cast in an early 1950’s movie. She
met my Dad, Nissim Piha, and married him when she was 20. A cousin of
mine called to condole with me yesterday and said they were like a pair
of doves, loving and caring for each other and paired for life.
Mom was a fierce protector of her family through difficult times and
sacrificed her own creature comforts in favour of her children, when
Dad’s business failed because his store managers robbed him; when we
were evacuated as refugees (women and children only) from the Congo to
Salisbury in 1960, living through the UN’s brutal urban attacks against
the breakaway Republic of Katanga in 1961, and our eventual immigration
to South Africa.
She was a clever, strong willed and determined
woman, who if born in a later era, would have been a successful business
woman or professional.
She had an amazing ability to connect
with diverse people in ways that suited each one of them. I only
realized the extent of this talent on reading the loving and caring
comments made by people of all ages and from all over the world about
her loving warm nature, kindness, sense of humour and fun. She had the
most amazing relationship with her daughter in law, Melanie, that she
always treated as a daughter and the love was reciprocal. Before
Melanie’s Mom died from cancer, she told my Mom, "I am not worried for
Melanie after I go, with you to love her".
She was able to mimic
people and their accents so well, that she could have been on the US
comedy program Saturday Night Live. She inherited or learned her
Father’s teasing nature and would play practical jokes on the telephone
with friends and also on her oldest grandchild, Avram and he of course
paid her back in kind. Sometimes some hapless person would phone her
from a company and would be puzzled by the: allez, allez Avram.
After being bed ridden for a few months, Marie asked me to take her out
on the road to ensure it was safe for her to drive. She eventually
agreed to drive with me to allay our fears. Driving along High-Level
Road, all the robots were green until Glengariff Road, but the next one
turned orange, and Mom kept going at 50 Km/hr. I said to her: Mom, the
light is going to turn red and she says, yes, I am going to stop, and I
say, when? As we approach the next robot, from quite far away she says
to me, I see the robot, it’s green, and then she says, it’s going
orange, I’m slowing down, I’m going to stop – she was making fun of me.
After I returned to Israel, she took someone in the car with her for
support, drove to the back of the building, did a U-turn in the parking
lot and went back to park her beloved little car in the garage. and hung
up her driving gloves. She didn’t put us in the situation of having to
take her keys away, one of the most difficult things for a child to do
to their parents.
She lived independently in her home until just
over a year ago, when she fell a few times and Marie and I insisted she
get a carer, and she eventually agreed to one only in the daytime to
please us. We got her wonderful full time carers, when it was clear she
could not manage on her own any more, even though she insisted she
could.
She hated the idea of being a burden on anyone and also
refused point blank to go to an old age home or assisted living
facility. She said this is my home and I don’t want to go anywhere
else; I want to go from here straight to Pinelands.
Her last
months were extremely difficult after losing her eyesight, but she
didn’t complain. She prayed Hashem would take her and that she wouldn’t
suffer and He answered her prayers. She died peacefully in a moment,
in her home without going to hospital, being exposed to Corona and the
upcoming lockdown. The timing was a blessing for her and extremely
difficult for us here not be able to bury our beloved Mother and Nonna,
together with Marie and all our family, Rabbi Suiza and those of you who
braved coming out here today. Tizku le’mitzvot.
Adieu chere Maman, ke tu alma reposa en Gan Eden. May your soul rest in Gan Eden.
"My Mother Silvia Piha, was born in the Belgian Congo on 30th March 1930 to Sadoc and Lea Israel"
***
Nonnou Sadoc Israel, Bello (Albert - Nonna's younger brother), Ricca (Bello's wife) & Nonna Lea (nee Capelouto)
"She met my Dad, Nissim Piha, and married him when she was 20"
***
Their engagement picture ...
"A cousin of mine called to condole with me yesterday and said they were like a pair of doves"
"Loving and caring for each other and paired for life."
Nonna & Nonnou with me & Tova
"Before Melanie’s Mom died from cancer, she told my Mom, I am not worried for Melanie after I go, with you to love her."
***
Nonnou, me, Nonna, Granny, Tova, Gramps
Nonna & Tante Amelie before my wedding
"She
inherited or learned her Father’s teasing nature and would play
practical jokes on the telephone with friends and also on her oldest
grandchild, Avram and he of course paid her back in kind."
"Sometimes some hapless person would phone her from a company and would be puzzled by the: allez, allez Avram."
Passing on recipes to us
Meeting Keren
On her balcony at 505 Trafalgar Place
Helping Oren take his 1st steps
Kissing Alma
With my children
Adieu chere Maman, ke tu alma reposa en Gan Eden. May your soul rest in Gan Eden.
We'll miss you so much Nonna ... Keep smiling and laughing wherever you may be
_ 
