I Am My Mother's Daughter: Wisdom on Life, Loss, and Love

Dara Kurtz kept a Ziploc bag of letters written by her mother and grandmothers, which gave her a glimpse into their lives and personalities. She decided to share their story, the incredible love between Jewish mothers and daughters, and the wisdom passed on from one generation to the next, through the lens of love and the hand-written word.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 17 September 2020
Publisher: Mandel Vilar Press

For the majority of her adult life, Dara Kurtz cherished a Ziploc bag containing a collection of letters penned by her mother, who tragically succumbed to cancer at the age of twenty-eight. Within this bag, she also found letters written by her long-deceased grandmothers, providing a glimpse into their lives and personalities during the time the letters were exchanged. These letters bestowed upon Dara immense wisdom and relevance, imparting countless beautiful life lessons that she decided to share with the world.

As a mother, Dara has passed down these family traditions and wisdom to her two daughters, ensuring that the legacy contained within the Ziploc bag continues to bridge the generations of women in their family. Unexpectedly, she found that the most effective way to convey these values was through the lens of love and the handwritten word.

In her journey to preserve and share the stories of her mother and grandmothers, Dara embarked on a mission to digitize the letters and create a digital archive. She painstakingly transcribed each letter, preserving the essence of their words and the emotions they conveyed. Through this process, Dara discovered a newfound appreciation for the power of storytelling and the importance of preserving family history.

The digital archive that Dara created became a treasured possession for her family, allowing them to connect with their ancestors and learn about their lives and experiences. It also served as a platform for Dara to share the letters with a broader audience, reaching people from different backgrounds and cultures. The responses she received were overwhelming, with many individuals expressing gratitude for the opportunity to glimpse into the lives of these remarkable women and the wisdom they imparted.

Dara's journey not only preserved the legacy of her mother and grandmothers but also inspired others to embrace their own family traditions and wisdom. She realized that the hand-written word holds a special place in our hearts and can convey emotions and experiences that digital technology cannot replicate. Through her efforts, Dara has shown that love and the preservation of family history can be best done through the lens of the handwritten word.

Weight: 338g
Dimension: 152 x 227 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781942134657