Charlotte Michaels
I will speak about Omi’s history, Juliette will speak about Omi the person, and Tony, through Lawrence will talk about her relationship with her grandchildren.
Born Charlotte Anker in Danzig on 23 March 1917. Her 22 Anker cousins knew her as Charlottchen. Her English friends called her Charlot and to us and so many of you here, she was Omi.
In 1933 Danzig, which was an independent state, came under the control of the Nazi Party with its virulent anti-Semitism. Omi loved sport
Charlotte skied until she was almost 80, played tennis until she was 90 and played table tennis with grandchildren to 96.
and was an active member of Maccabi. When the Nazis closed down the Maccabi premises, Omi’s father provided the club with a basement in his warehouse. Charlotte skied until she was almost 80, played tennis until she was 90 and played table tennis with grandchildren to 96.
As a teenager she was a great gymnast and was selected to lead a group of Danzig girls at a major event. She trained hard but on the day one of the officials came up to her and asked if she was Jewish. When she said yes, she was told she would not be able to participate. The awful pettiness stayed with her all her life.
Her first visit to Palestine was in 1935 and she remained an ardent Zionist all her life. She came to England as a refugee later that year. Until she married she was a children’s nurse, a dressmaker and a youth leader at the Stepney Jewish Boys and Girls Club. These were skills she used to great effect in bringing up children and looking after grandchildren. My baby sister Juliette was the best dressed girl in North London: mum was always making her new clothes. Omi was a voracious knitter, all the grandchildren were given lots of sweaters and cardigans, some of which survive to this day. When Phil died he was wearing a red sweater with black stripes she made.
As a qualified baby nurse she added a real level of professionalism to her innate parenting skills. My granddaughter Leaf has lovely curly hair but always refused to let it be brushed. Last year when Leaf was at Danescroft Avenue we told Omi, who immediately instructed me to fetch her hair brush. I was nervous that Omi would be rebuffed by a very determined Leaf. But Omi had the answer. She gave Leaf the brush asking to have her hair brushed. Leaf duly brushed Omi’s hair. Omi then offered to brush Leaf’s hair: and she let her. When I asked her how she knew that trick, she said that she’d looked after enough children to know how to deal with them.
It was when working as a youth leader in the East End she first came face to face with deprivation and poverty, something which stayed with her all her life.
In 1941 she married fellow refugee Michael Michaels at Alyth Gardens Synagogue. She helped Michael in his business and nursed him through a number of long illnesses.
When Hendon Reform Synagogue was built in Danescroft Avenue in about 1950, she and Michael joined and immediately got deeply involved. Early Cheder classes were held in our lounge. After Michael died in 1986 she devoted her life to her family and Charitable works: Macmillan Cancer Charity, Council of Christians and Jews, Jewish Care, League of Jewish Women, Hendon Reform Synagogue and remedial English teaching at St John’s C of E School and many others. In 2008 she was awarded the MBE in the Birthday Honours List.
As she got older she had carers look after her. Debbie lived with her for the last two years and became a very special friend to her and all of us. And whilst Debbie was ill, Mariya took over and together they gave her so much love and affection. The family owes them a big debt of gratitude.
Omi’s Hebrew name is Shulamit: it is from the same root as Shalom. Whenever we had a drink, which was frequently, I would say “lechaim” — to life; and she would answer Shalom–peace.
Shalom mother.