When my Mom turned 90 last May, we had a big family celebration for her at my brother and sister-in-law’s home in New Jersey. The invitations said – 90 is the new 18. We showed a mini-documentary that my wife Ra El and I made about my mom, Bea Slater, that told the story of her first 90 years through photography.

The celebration had everything she wanted – her family, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and most of her few remaining friends. My sister Diane found all the right little touches from tablecloths to replicating her candy drawer to set just the right tone. Everyone pitched in to make this an extraordinary day.

Mom kept repeating the phrase; you never know what life will bring you. You just never know.

This phrase, “you never know” has become a calling card for Mom. Several years ago, she sent my daughter Fanny a text about a Rachael Ray Cookbook Competition and told Fanny – why not try out, “you never know.” And for those who don’t know, Fanny won that competition.

Happiness on Catherine Street

Annette Lawrence and Bea Slater circa 1940 in West Philly

Growing up in West Philadelphia at 6049A Catherine Street during the depression, Mom never knew that there was any economic strife going on as she always had a warm home, food, and clothes. She had a neighborhood filled with unlimited friends and was always having her picture taken by her father, George, who was a professional photographer who owned Quaker Studios. There are dozens of beautiful portraits Pop took of my mom, Bea Slater, and her sister Annette Lawrence or my Grandma Fannie. Mom even worked as a photographer after high school taking portraits of children with her father’s guidance.

After she met my father Jack, Mom moved to New Jersey and raised three children. The camera was always present in her life and ours. She and my father were always taking photographs of my older sister Diane, younger brother Mitchell and me. We have more than fifty photo albums to prove it too.

Casting Call

Last month, my brother reached out to me to say that he saw on Facebook that a casting company called Donna Grossman Casting was looking for Jewish grandmothers for an advertisement for JDate. JDate is a Jewish dating site like match.com or Christian Mingle – but created for Jews searching for Jewish mates.

I told Mitch, this is ridiculous.

Mom is never going to want to shlep to Manhattan and be part of a casting call. She is 90 years-old, and I’m sure this is the last thing she needs to do. Mitch said he’d call her and get back to me.

I was wrong.

Photo of Bea Slater in JDate ad on W. 80th St – on the SW corner of Broadway.

Mitch contacted Mom and within 32 seconds, called me back and said, “she’s in.” She wants to do it. She told Mitch, “you never know.”

Mitch is continually urging Mom to get out and come with him to movies, dinner, and other local events. He helps to keep her young and involved in the world. So Mitch filled out the online application and sent it along to the casting company. I thought that would be the end of it.

She Got the Call

Mitch called and said, they scheduled her for a tryout that next week. I couldn’t believe it. I thought they’d have all these professional models and actresses trying out – there is no way she’ll get the job. But, as Mom said, “you never know.”

She Got the Job

Bea Slater and her posse of Jewish Grandmas in a JDate ad

Mom was chosen to be the lead in a series of billboard, posters and print ads that JDate will be running in New York. The ideas are that Mom and her friends are coders who are the secret algorithm behind how JDate works making the matches. So, it takes a Jewish grandmother to power JDate. Or as they cleverly say, powered by Yentas. 

JDate Billboard above Junior’s Cheesecake in Brooklyn with Mom.

She spent almost 8 hours in a studio with a group of other lovely Jewish grandmothers, wearing hip headphones and sweatsuits as if they were coding all night long. Of course, being the Jewish grandmother that she is, she got to learn everyone’s backstory.

Quite a Year

If this was your ninetieth year, I’m sure you’d consider being in a series of ads to be the highlight of anyone’s life experience. Who gets to be in advertisements on billboards in Time Square and beyond?

Steve van Zandt with my mom, Bea Slater as she introduces his band, The Disciples of Soul

Well, here are a few more things Mom will do during her ninetieth year:

• Mom got to travel to Wilmington, North Carolina to watch her granddaughter Fanny get married to Tony. Fanny got to wear the dress my wife wore when we were married and, a piece of the lace from Mom’s wedding dress from 1948. She even got to fly on an airplane for the first time in over a decade.
• Mom got to introduce Steve van Zandt and his band at a concert in front of thousands of fans. And, not only did she get to hang out backstage with Steve and his wife Maureen, but suddenly Bea-groupies appeared who wanted to take selfies with Mom.
• Mom was with my daughter Fanny filming an episode for a TV show on Cooking Channel that will air in February. She and Fanny will be together on an episode of Best Thing I Ever Ate. More on this soon.
  

  Bea Slater and Fanny Slater before The Cooking Channel taping at Millburn Deli

• She got to meet and hang out with Mary Higgins Clark at my sister’s book club. Mary is one of the most successful American fiction writers. Together these 90 somethings got to connect and learn about each other’s story.
• Mom will get to see Bruce Springsteen on Broadway in January. You have to know someone to get these tickets.

Bea Slater and Mary Higgins Clark talking about books

90 and counting

After my Dad passed away in 2009, we all worried how Mom would get along without him. We all missed him so much, but somehow Mom decided that she still had a lot to live for and so she persisted. She wanted to see a woman president (still does) and wanted to see her grandchildren settled and happy.

She insisted on learning how to email and use social media. She is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and texts like a 15-year old girl.

But most of all, she wanted to stay involved and keep active.

She still attends her Renaissance Club meeting at the Temple Sha’arey Shalom in Springfield she and my Dad help found. She drives. (just in the daytime). At night she uses Uber or Go Go Grandparent. She shops on her own (Kings) and can’t miss her Thursday appointment with Tommy to get her hair done. She visits her closest friends who are also elderly and frail and always brings cakes from Natales in Summit.

Who says you can’t start a career at 90?

We all have our struggles and challenges that we endure. Sometimes you may wonder how the coming year might be for you as you struggle to figure out how to persist through life’s speed bumps.

Consider these words of wisdom from the mouth of a 90-year-old:

You Never Know.

Photos courtesy of Randal Ford, JDate, Debra Rothenbeg.com, and Mitchell Slater

How will you be spending your 90th year?

Connect with me at 919 720 0995 or jeffslater@themarketingsage.com