My name is Ruth Lefkowitz. I was born in 1928 to Bessie and Henry on the East Side, near Broadway in Manhattan. We moved to the Bronx, where I grew up with my younger twin sisters. I attended Clark University for two years, I was good at math, still am, but the money ran out and I had to leave school. My mother passed away just last year. It still brings tears to my eyes when I think of her. She was a quiet gentle lady who was kind to everyone. The thing I remember most about my mother was how brave she was. She needed an operation at one point and I remember how scared we all were for her but she did not seem worried at all which made us feel better, which I think she knew. I remember she was very good with her hands and she loved to knit and sew. I think the most important thing I learned from her was to have a kind heart and to be good to everyone. My father Harry could be described as a very nice man, but he was tough on his children. The most vivid and earliest memory I have of him is the day I came home late for lunch from school. I had my friend with me and we were talking at the table and I spoke badly about my teacher. My father yelled at me and I never used a curse word in front of him again. The lesson I learned from this experience was do not be too tough on people and it also taught me to be more tolerant and easier with my own children. My favorite celebration as a child was Passover. We would all go to my grandparents house in Manhattan. I think it was so special because of all the traditions it held. It's still my favorite holiday. I met Albert, my husband, and we have been married for 57 years. I was ten when I married him. I think you have to like someone, not only love them when you decide to marry. We lived in Westchester, near Iona, and had two children. My daughter Robyn, who is a special education teacher, gave birth to my granddaughter, Kayla, and my son Scott, gave me my grandson, Matthew. I remember we took them to Hawaii once. When the children were grown, Albert and I did a lot of traveling. We went to England, France, Italy and Scotland. My secret for living a good life would be not everyone is in control all time so grin and bear it when times get tough. Maintain a good attitude and do not give up, stick with it. My advice for future generations is to have a sense of responsibility and be caring to other people. The code that guides my actions is to remember that not everyone is in control all the time and to be understanding and kind to others. I think the things that give me strength through the hard times are remembering the way my mother lived her life and my children. I will leave you with one final thought and that would be to go through life with a strong back and with a smile on your face.