The Healers ~ The Story Of Hershel & Meryle From Ukraine-and, Son Simon, The Healer

Shannon Gale
February 26 ·
My Ukrainian heritage.

My father’s father’s father was born in Ukraine
and emigrated to the US.

He used all of his money to get as far as he could,
which turned out to be Kansas.

He was alone and couldn’t speak the language, but working as a janitor, he eventually saved enough to start his own business.

He ran three businesses and has been an inspiration to me in my entrepreneurial endeavors, especially because when outside circumstances caused him to go bust, he just started again and was soon again among the wealthy, respected leaders of his community.

When he had made enough money,
Simon brought his parents, Hershel and Meryle, from Ukraine to live with him in Kansas.

Hershel (my great-great grandfather) was described as a natty dresser,
and he always carried a cane with a gold knob on top,
but he affectionately called his grandsons his diamonds.

The last of my ancestors to spend their entire lives in Ukraine were Hershel’s parents, Welvel and Tzisy, my great-great-great grandparents.

Life was extremely difficult in Ukraine, with snow
from September through May, and the family lived in grim poverty.

Welvel worked 6 days a week and rarely smiled,
but he was a pious man, and there are still stories
of the loving kindness he showed his children

—like warming the bed for his grandson
and then warming his feet when he got in the warm bed.

Welvel also was a business owner, and he worked as a druggist.

He made salves and ointments from flowers and roots,
and his little shop smelled like a garden or florist’s.
The townspeople swore by his remedies for their ailments,
and they were fond of him.

My mother (who is the amazing genealogist
who has compiled stories from all of the branches of my family tree),
always reminds me of this heritage whenever I create herbal remedies,
like the elderberry syrup I wrote a blog post about.

Back when Vibrant Life was young, I held workshops on herbalism,
and it is fitting that I am inspired to bring herbs back to VL.

My spiritual advisor tells me that the time is right for me to manifest
the dream of having an old-fashioned apothecary’s
soda fountain inside VL.

Remember those old soda fountains with a counter and stools?

The sweet drinks they prepared were actually designed to mask
the bitter or astringent flavor of health-giving herbs
that were prescribed for various conditions!

I would love to see a soda fountain with healthy drinks

—including herbal teas, real-fruit smoothies,
and maybe even things like real marshmallows
(made from marshmallow root to cure colds)—in Vibrant Life.

It would be my favorite place to hang out! Sipping something healthy
and delicious while visiting with like-minded friends
in that serene environment.

Do you know an herbalist whose dream of serving the community could come true with the support of Vibrant Life? Send them my way, if you do!

It is a special thing to be beloved of a community for healing them
with flowers and roots, like my Ukrainian grandfather.

I wish I had his recipes!

I wish I knew more about the customs and lives of my Ukrainian ancestors.

The colorful pictures I’ve been seeing on Facebook of Ukrainian clothing
and architecture are beautiful, but I am quite fond of the black-and-white photos
I have of my family.

I am grateful for these people who have come before,
and I wish for peace for all.

 

Welvel and Tzisy, parents of:
Hershel and Meryle (his wife)
son: Simon