The late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has an interesting connection to Oakland, California: she married an Oakland couple who also are regulars (and friends of mine) at The Alley Cat Bar at 3325 Grand Avenue. This is what Jane posted on Facebook, reprinted here at Oakland News Now with her permission:
In 2001, after 11 years of living in sin, Albert and I decided to get married. My mom asked if she should contact RBG to see if she would officiate our ceremony. Ruth and her husband Marty had gone to college with my parents. My response was, “That’s ridiculous. Don’t ask. Surely she has more important ways to spend her time. “ Albert’s response was, “Hell, yes!” He was (and still is) smarter than me. I’m not sure why Ruth agreed to do it, but she did.
I didn’t meet Ruth until the wedding, but I knew that my parents had named me Jane after Ruth and Marty’s daughter, Jane Ginsberg. Not that they were especially close, but Jane Greenberg had that same ring, and it sounded good to them. I take great pride in being a Ginsberg namesake. Ruth was awesome at the wedding. She gracefully posed for photos with our whacky friends. There were no complaints when her secret service men got smeared with face glitter. She was the most understated superstar.
There have been so many tough days in our recent past, but this is an especially hard blow. Thank you RBG for your quiet and fierce determination to fight the good fight. Rest In Power. Rest In Peace
Stay tuned.