My mom passed away last night with 10 family members by her side. She was the first in our family to escape the Soviet Union. She arrived in California with nothing, hustled as a single mom of 4, and achieved the American dream in every respect. She was crafty, resourceful, and could make humor out of any situation. Here’s a photo of us when money was tight: I asked to be Aladdin for Halloween, so she dressed me up as a Russian gypsy and thought I wouldn’t notice. April 20, 1950 - June 21, 2