A Million Merits for Aunt Hudis

As told to Leah Greenburg

“I would like to dedicate this brachah and all Amens said to this brachah to my sister Hudis, in the merit that she should find her bashert right away, settle down, and build a binyan adei ad,” my mother would say, her eyes closed, forehead wrinkled in concentration, holding up a small plastic cup filled with grape juice.

Hudis is my mother’s youngest sister, and at 33 years old, she’s what most would call an “older single.”

Ever since I was little, my mother’s been throwing brachos parties every Shabbos and Yom Tov, reminding us kids about the power of saying Amen. She would always scrunch up her forehead and say each brachah with the utmost kavanah. My younger sisters and brothers and I would sit around the table with a plate full of random foods — one for each brachah — and we would take turns picking up each item, saying the brachah loudly with kavanah while everyone else made sure to respond with a clear Amen.

Brachos parties became a “thing” in our house. But even more than that, every mitzvah was dedicated to Aunt Hudis, who was so nice and wonderful, but just hadn’t found the right one yet. Tzedakah. Every chesed. “You never know which one will topple the decree,” my mother said.