Fini’s Females: Text Notifications That Carry History

When the “Fini’s Females” group chat message notifications pop up on my phone, my face instinctively lights up. This chat connects the women in my family who are direct descendants of my 98-year-old great-grandmother, Fini Konstat, whom we endearingly call Mimi. From family photos of Mimi to personal messages in our day-to-day lives, Fini’s Females connects my family across generations. 

My Jewish identity is shaped by my entire family, but most specifically by the women who surround me. In addition to “Fini’s Females,” our full extended family stays in constant contact through a “The Konstat Family” WhatsApp, which includes everyone— from Mimi’s son and his entire family in Mexico to the rest of us spread across the U.S. Being so connected to the women in my family, specifically through “Fini’s Females,” whether in our group chats or in person, is when my Jewish identity feels the strongest. Through shared everyday moments, photos, and conversations, we stay close even when we are physically far apart. We all live in different places—from Texas to Illinois to Florida and Mexico—but my family remains deeply connected through our history, shared stories, and most importantly, Mimi. 

Mimi was born in Vienna, Austria, and at the age of 11, she and her parents were stripped of their citizenship because of Nazi occupation. She was kicked out of her home country and was forced to leave everything familiar to her simply because she was Jewish. After escaping to Bombay, India, and traveling over a mined sea for months, she thankfully sought freedom as a refugee in Mexico. There, she met and married her husband, David Konstat, who was also a Holocaust survivor, and they started a family. Mimi’s journey, strength, and resilience are always on my mind, shaping my understanding of my family’s Jewish history and what it means to carry it forward.

My connection to Mimi feels especially personal because I am named after her mother, Anny. Knowing that I carry the legacy of her name is a true honor—one I try to live up to every day through stories I have been told and the history I carry with me. Mimi often tells me that I remind her of her mother, Anny, which makes that connection feel even more meaningful to me. Over time, my grandma, Mimi’s daughter, has given me items that once belonged to Anny—jewelry, small catchall trays, and bags. Every night when I place my jewelry in the white floral tray that once belonged to Anny, I feel connected to her. 

One of the things I am most grateful for is how close I am to Mimi in my everyday life. She lives just two blocks away from me, and even at 98 years old, she is a constant presence in my life. Seeing her multiple times a week for dinners, listening to her stories, and simply spending time together make me feel incredibly blessed. Having my great-grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, so close to me reminds me how important my family’s history truly is.

Though Mimi’s Austrian citizenship was taken from her as a child because of her Jewish identity, last year, my siblings and I, along with some other family members, were able to receive Austrian citizenship as descendants of Holocaust survivors. It felt extremely meaningful and like a full-circle moment. At the same time, the achievement carried weight, knowing that this opportunity was possible because of what had been taken from my family. What was once stripped from my family has now been restored four generations later. My Austrian citizenship and passport are reminders that my family’s history will never be forgotten or taken away.

My family makes me feel most connected to my Jewish culture and history. From group chats to family simchas to inherited objects, my Jewish identity is both remembered and honored every single day. Mimi’s life and her story are the reason that connection exists in the first place. She is immensely proud of the family she built after everything she endured and is deeply loved by every generation of it. Today, Mimi is the matriarch of a family with 20 great-grandchildren. Getting notifications from “Fini’s Females” reminds me that our family’s history is carried forward and will never be forgotten.