Mount Pleasant Magazine Nov/Dec 2020

www.CharlestonWomen.com | www.ReadCW.com | www.CharlestonBrides.com CW charleston women everyone better.” Ginsburg’s former law clerk agreed. “You had to be meticulous about anything you wrote for her. We often spent late nights helping her craft opinions. She would get so excited about choosing precisely the right word because it matters.” One of Ginsburg’s trademarks was her soft-spoken demeanor. “When you first met RBG, there would be long pauses in conversation, and you were never 100% confident she was finished – but you didn’t want to interrupt,” Walker said. Eslinger added, “I think she spoke that way because she was very measured and deliberate.” Walker described RBG as incredibly warm. After my year with her, I would regularly stop by her office to update her about my family. When my daughter was born, the Justice sent her a handwritten note with a onesie that said ‘RBG grand- clerk.’ She had the warmth of a Jewish grandmother,” he reminisced. Ginsburg’s Jewish heritage was a large component of her identity. Rebecca Leibowitz Engel, of the Charleston Jewish Federation, recalled that “several board members attended the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly in November 2018, where we got to hear her speak in person.” Ilene Turbow, the Charleston chapter’s vice-president remarked, “It was so empowering. I still remember her deliberate answers and gentle, powerful presence.” Ginsburg’s death in September 2020 marked the end of an era. When her casket was at the Supreme Court, Walker stood watch, along with over 100 other former law clerks. “It was very moving,” he said. “She meant a great deal to us all.” “Ruth affected all women, whether they knew it or not,” Eslinger explained. “She wanted to make sure the Constitution belonged to all Americans. There will never be another one like her.” RBG and Burden Walker.