Remembering My Friend, Itty Ainsworth on Her Yartzeit

Article by Sori-Block Gordon: “Do they serve hot beverages in heaven? And when I think of heaven, who else but Itty Ainsworth comes to mind?”

By Sori-Block Gordon

My good friend—an old classmate—lost her mother last Thursday.

She loved nothing more than a cup of tea. To her, every problem could wait… until after a proper cuppa.

If she had a hard day at school,
or life felt heavy as she got older,
nothing would get in the way of that first cup of tea.
And somehow, after that, everything felt manageable.
Every problem could be faced head-on.

And it got me thinking…
do they serve hot beverages in heaven?
Are there problems up there too—softened and solved with a strong cup of tea?

And when I think of heaven,
who else but Itty Ainsworth comes to mind?

Beautiful, kind, caring, loving Itty.
She’s never too far from my thoughts

especially when I have a real problem…
which, let’s be honest, happens all too often.

Because Itty could solve anything.
Even without a cup of tea in hand.

All she needed was her trusty Tehillim,
and the words of wisdom would just spill out of her.

Issues with kids?
She had a pocket full of advice—practical, simple, effective tips and tricks.

Health and beauty?
She knew so much. She read constantly,
and shared whatever she thought might help.

Marital struggles?
Her advice was solid. Grounded. Real.
Cultivated from years of experience.

And the best part?
When I didn’t follow her advice, she’d say,
“I know you’re not going to listen… so when this happens, do this, then that… and maybe you’ll still be able to fix it.”

It was like Waze rerouting you when you ignore the directions—
like G-d gently guiding you back, no matter what.

Her name could have been
“The Problem Solver,”
or “The World’s Best Listener,”
or simply, “The Kindest, Least Judgmental Person Alive.”

And when I have good news to share, I think of her.
And when I’m in one of my moods…
I wish Itty were still down here.

I miss her every day.

Down here, life is complex.
Problems abound, without answers in sight.
I know what she would say—
but I still miss hearing it from her.

She felt your pain—
or maybe it was that she made you feel she was right there with you in it,
in the actual pit.
She didn’t leave you alone until you came out the other end.
She held your hand every step of the way—like a mother, or a sister.
Not even like an aunt.

So how is Itty faring up in heaven?

I once read that holy souls are brought into Gan Eden through distraction.
Itty… she loved saying Tehillim.
She could say Tehillim for hours,
and everything felt calmer afterward.

You know the analogy—
if you spend time in a perfume store, you carry the scent with you.

If you spent time with Itty,
your whole mindset would change.

Negativity, pessimism, victimhood—
they simply weren’t part of her world.

Instead, she offered positivity, hope, optimism,
a way of seeing life through her rose-colored glasses.

Not because life was perfect.
Far from it.

But because she believed in learning to dance through the imperfections.
To laugh anyway.
To make the most of what you’ve got.

Life was never meant to be easy—
but joy… joy is a choice.

And she chose it. Every single day.

She loved Tehillim more than anyone I know.

So maybe in heaven,
she’s not sitting with a cup of tea.

Maybe she’s dancing—
to the rhythm of Tehillim.

She gave me so much advice, so much wisdom.

Now…
I just have to live it

•

This Sunday, 14 Tammuz, is the yartzeit of Tzvi and Itty Ainsworth OBM, who perished in the building collapse in Surfside, Florida, on Jun 24, 2021.

Please do a Mitzvah in their honor. Preferably one בין אדם לחברו. Call someone who needs a pick-me-up. Visit a lonely person. Tell your children how much you love them. Bake a cake for a family who could use something yummy in their life. Resist from talking Loshon Hora for a day. Or a week. You get the gist. Just do something.

You will be giving Tzvi and Itty’s Neshama’s a massive Aliyah and an abundance of good will come to you and your family. Guaranteed!

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