I sat across from Sarah Berman, the widow of comedian Shelley Berman, in her living room in Los Angeles. In front of a portrait of her late husband, I interviewed her for my podcast “Choosing to Be Chosen,” where I talk to converts about their fascinating stories. She had converted to Judaism decades earlier after studying it as a teenager.
My husband—comedian Daniel Lobell—and I met Sarah and Shelley back in 2014. We invited them to our wedding, and Shelley danced the hora all night long. I connected to Sarah because we were both married to comedians, and we are both converts.
During our recording, along with discussing Judaism, Sarah talked about how the world has changed since 1926.
Back then, you could go out and play until dark, and then all the moms in the neighborhood would yell your name and you’d go home.
You had to earn your spot as the “first seat” student in class, and work very hard to get good grades and awards.
And if you had political differences with your friends, you talked it out; you didn’t shut them out.
Sarah told me about her meaningful friendship with RFK; Shelley wrote speeches for him. On the night of June 5, 1968, they were about to go to the party at the Ambassador Hotel to celebrate RFK’s win in the California primary, but Sarah needed to take their dog for a walk first. Suddenly, Shelley ran out of the house and called after her, yelling, “They shot him! They shot Bobby!” When Sarah relayed the story to me, I teared up. It reminded me of where we are today with our political climate.
Overall, Sarah’s life story was not only incredible; it was also grounding. So much had happened during those 100 years. The world went through a lot of turmoil. And personally, Sarah had survived trauma, coming out resilient on the other side.
As a 37-year-old looking at the world today, I must admit that sometimes, I’m very afraid. Afraid that AI will take so many jobs, that the cost of living is out of control, that the West is being threatened, that Jews are constantly targeted.
And then, I hear from Sarah, who, like everyone in her generation, went through World War II, the Korean, Vietnam, and Cold Wars, the culture shift of the 1960s, and on and on. The world has always been simultaneously tumultuous and spectacular. Lots of darkness, but also, endless light.
It is reassuring in a time when we need comfort. The world needs to hear from people like Sarah. And, for Sarah and others in her generation, it’s cathartic and rewarding to be able to share their stories.
For these reasons, I encourage you to document the stories of your parents, grandparents, and older loved ones. I wish I’d had the opportunity to sit down with my grandparents and do this; it would have been nice to have a video of my Grandma Jane, talking about her early life, or to hear from my Grandma Riggle about raising five children and working full-time as a single mom.
Along with interviewing Sarah, I recently ghostwrote a Holocaust survivor’s memoir. The survivor passed away 20 years ago, but her daughter had her mother’s journals, and she handed them off to me.
The survivor’s story gave me so much hope; it was an absolute pleasure to write it. At the end of it, when the book was complete, her daughter told me, “It was so beautiful. You made me cry.”
The world seems upside down these days. Of course, a lot has changed in the past 100 years. But hearing from those who have lived through the good times—and the bad—can give us priceless perspective.
In my interview with Sarah Berman, I learned some sage wisdom: Focus on the joy in life.
She told me that when she turned 100, she asked herself, “Did I have fun?”
“Well, did you?” I asked.
With a huge smile, Sarah exclaimed, “Yes!”
Kylie Ora Lobell is an award-winning journalist, published author, and ghostwriter for families, seniors, attorneys, and busy professionals. Contact her at Kylie@KOLDigitalMarketing.com.
