Harriet

This is an upsetting post for me to write because it is about a truly exceptional woman who had a significant and lasting impact on my project but very sadly passed away before we had the chance to complete our Meals with Memories experience together. My project aims to bridge the intergenerational gap by bringing together people from different age groups and making connections. Harriet was a true role model for creating connections and a great example of what makes this project so meaningful for me.

I was connected to Harriet through Cantor Jenna at Woodlands Community Temple. From the very beginning Harriet was so helpful and interested in my project. Even though she didn’t know me, she responded within 30 minutes of my first email and from then on did everything she could to help me succeed. We talked over the phone and she invited me to her house to discuss my gold award and to share her ideas for how I could reach out to more people. Harriet had a gorgeous home and showed me her menorah collection and told me intriguing stories behind some of them. She was a life-long educator, who taught a religious studies class at the temple. She invited me to speak to her class about my project to recruit participants and we picked a date for us to have our own meal together. 

For our meal, Harriet picked her mom’s Cabbage Soup, a family tradition that was important to her. This recipe is handwritten on an index card. Harriet had a whole container of handwritten index cards with her and her family's recipes. You could tell that these recipes were very meaningful for her. 

Harriet's cabbage soup recipe from her mom

In early May I attended Harriet’s class. I sat through some of their interesting discussions, and then Harriet introduced me to the class and let me present my gold award project. I had never presented like this to a group of strangers before so this was an exciting challenge. The whole class was so nice and respectful; they listened to me speak and then asked thoughtful questions, gave me feedback and suggestions on the project, and told me stories of some of their experiences when they were Girl Scouts many years ago.  Being a wonderful person herself, Harriet attracted other great and insightful people to be in her class. I recruited many Meals with Memories participants through Harriet’s class! The participants that I met through her were so kind and interested in getting to know me. I really enjoyed meeting and connecting with all of them. 

Our cabbage soup meal together was originally planned for May 21st but was pushed back due to Harriet’s ailing health. I heard from some of the other class members that she was sick, but I didn't realize how sick she was and then I learned that she passed away. Though our meal together never came to be, the impact Harriet had on me and on my Meals with Memories project will not be forgotten. Her kindness, support, and enthusiasm were invaluable. Harriet was a woman of remarkable character whose love of creating connections across generations will always be remembered. Thank you, Harriet. May you rest in peace.