The country's first Jewish mother

An 18th Century prototype for today's model:

Bilhah Abigail Levy Franks, one of the first Jewish mothers in America, a woman who both embodied and defied caricature. First, the embodiment: she doted on her son, Naphtali, to whom she wrote numerous letters nagging him to write to his sister, to read more, to write to his mother more often, and if he couldn't write more often, at least longer letters. She suggests that he might get more done if he followed a schedule. And what about that girl he is dating?

She assumes that Britain, where Naphtali has gone, has no food and sends him supplies, including the pickles he likes. She warns him not to eat the food at his uncle's house where he is staying - except bread and butter - because it might not be kosher. Did she love him too much? Well, her nickname for him was Heartsey.