Disciplines
Jewish Studies
Abstract
Helen "Lyn" Silverstein was born in 1944 and grew up in the Melrose area. Her family was not observant growing up but she remembers certain dietary rules her family followed that were kosher-style. Her family was not close-knit and as a result, she knew very little about her extend family. Her mother and aunt would speak Yiddish together when they didn’t want Silverstein to know what they were saying. As a result, Silverstein knows certain words and phrases in Yiddish but cannot speak or understand it fluently.
Silverstein went to PS 35 for elementary school, Jordan L. Mott, Junior High School (MS 22), and Hunter High School. She does not remember being involved in many extracurricular activities, however, she did play the piano, create art, and loved listening to classical music. Lyn remembers the different expectations that women had that their male classmates did not, especially as they got older.
Silverstein recalls loving walking around Manhattan and exploring the different museums and stores. Eventually she moved to Massachussets, however, she would return to the Bronx to visit her mother. When she would return to the Bronx she remembers how quickly it started to change from what she remembered as a child. Overall, she remembers her childhood being very idyllic and carefree.
Key Words: Melrose, Street games, PS 35, Jordan L. Mott Junior High School (MS 22), Hunter High School, Yiddish, Music, Shopping, Yankees, Cross Bronx Expressway, Vietnam War
Recommended Citation
Stovall, Reyna, "Silverstein, Helen 'Lyn'" (2023). Bronx Jewish History Project. 38. https://research.library.fordham.edu/bjhp/37
