Interview Essay
Where was my grandma born?
Baghdad, Iraq
What is my family’s recipe?
Marble Chocolate Banana Bread
Who or what was I named after?
I was named after Princess Leia from StarWars.
What is my personal artifact and when did I receive it?
My iPhone 4, I got it when I was 6 years old.
Which saying in my Roots & Wings have I heard a gazillion times?
“What goes around comes around”
What was grandma’s job before she left?
She didn’t have one.
Who passed down this recipe?
My paternal grandmother, Amy.
What’s my Hebrew name and why?
My Hebrew name is also Leia, one of the four mothers of Israel.
What is my family artifact and who made it?
My great great grandpa was a religious rabbi and he wrote a modest cloth torah my family cherishes today.
What does “What goes around comes around” mean?
It means that what you do to others happens to you eventually.
Where did my grandma get food?
She went to the Shuk.
When do we eat the cake?
In the morning
What’s my dad’s name and why?
My dad’s name is David, and he was named after a dead relative.
Why did I stop using the iPhone 4?
The processor was really slow and the battery was really bad.
What is my family saying?
“Try your hardest, and that’s all you can do”
How did one of my great grandpas die in Baghdad?
He was killed because the government claimed he was a spy, but our family thinks he was killed because he was a Jew.
Where did the cake recipe originate?
Grandma got it from friends.
What’s my mom’s name and why?
My mom’s name is Jian, which means sword. She was named after the object because it represents perseverance and resilience.
How did I get my glittery pink phone case?
My aunt bought it for me after I
complimented hers.
Why is my family saying reassuring?
Because if you try your best and things don’t work out it’s not your fault.
Why was taking a donkey to Iran dangerous?
Leaving Iraq was illegal, and the donkey owners could have killed or abandoned them. They also could have gotten sick.
What do I do after the cake is in the oven?
I scrape the bowl for all the extra batter and eat it.
What’s my last name and why?
My last name is Hadid, which means Iron. The word could have been a metaphor or my ancestors could have been iron smiths.
Where is my family’s torah today?
The Torah is in a Spanish-Portuguese synagogue in montreal.
Where did my family saying originate?
My grandpa said it to my dad a lot.