At 89, Mara Goldshtein has the shoes, the sparkle and the stage presence of a beauty queen.<\/p>\n
The Holocaust survivor is a three-time crown holder in the Your Highness Grandmother Beauty Pageant, an annual Brighton Beach, New York City, tradition that celebrates grandmothers through elaborate costumes, performances and a jury made up of grandfathers.<\/p>\n
“You feel alive. You don’t feel that you are already very old,” she told Brooklyn reporter Hannah Kliger. “I am very happy that I can do something.”<\/p>\n
Goldshtein was a child during World War II and has vivid memories of fleeing the Nazis from her homeland in Moldova.<\/p>\n
“Many people died on the barge and they threw them in the Caspian Sea,” she said.<\/p>\n
Despite the trauma of her childhood, Goldshtein has remained active throughout her life. She spent decades working as a home attendant before retiring two years ago and is also a graduate of the NYPD’s Citizens Police Academy.<\/p>\n
Her preparation for the pageant includes trying on the elaborate Firebird costume she wore when she won last year, along with a second look featuring a flower crown and traditional Moldovan dress.<\/p>\n
“I told them, I think I will do a shock for everybody. This was a shock,” she said of her winning Firebird number.<\/p>\n
Goldshtein speaks half a dozen languages, including Yiddish, Hebrew, French and Romanian.<\/p>\n
She credits staying involved in her community, along with a daily cup of herbal tea, as part of her approach to aging.<\/p>\n
“It’s very very healthy, ginger and lemon,” she said.<\/p>\n
Her son, Daniel, drove her to a dress rehearsal ahead of Sunday’s pageant, which is marking its 25th year.<\/p>\n
The event is organized by Raisa Chernina, executive director of the Be Proud Foundation, as a way to combat loneliness among older adults.<\/p>\n
“Call them today. And honor them. Call and ask, ‘How are you?’ It’s most important,” Chernina said, before she got to her feet and began cheering the contestants like a dance mom.<\/p>\n
During rehearsal, contestants took turns performing onstage while others cheered them on from the wings. Though they compete for the crown, the women have also built friendships over the years.<\/p>\n
“We love each other, we talk to each other by telephone, we see each other,” Goldshtein said. “So many years, you start to be like a family.”<\/p>\n
The Your Highness Grandmother Beauty Pageant will take place Sunday, Oct. 25, beginning at 4 p.m. at Tatiana Restaurant on the Brighton Beach Boardwalk.<\/p>\n
The celebration honors the beauty, wisdom and enduring spirit of grandmothers.<\/p>\n
Have a story idea or tip in Brooklyn? Email Hannah by\u00a0CLICKING HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n