When your siblings are ten, fifteen, or more years older (or younger) than you, it’s an entirely different experience
One Thursday afternoon in November, Malka’s* mother asked her to please make the chicken for Shabbos. Being a typical 16-year-old, Malka asked if she really had to do it that minute. “I think it would be a good idea to get it done now,” her mother replied. Malka made the chicken and went about her night as usual. In the wee hours of Friday morning, the phone rang — she had a new baby sister!
“We were so excited,” says Malka. “Because we were three girls and then three boys, I was thrilled to have a new baby sister.”
Malka got to enjoy her new baby sister, Avigayil*, for her whole junior and senior year of high school before she went to seminary and then to New York for college.
“I was two when Malka left home and four when she got married,” shares Avigayil, now in her thirties. She doesn’t have memories of Malka from that time, and only knows her wedding from pictures, but she does have a distinct memory of getting her first nephew. “I brought him in for show-and-tell when Malka came for Shabbos!” Avigayil says.
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