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It’s always news when an Orthodox Jew is lauded in mainstream media the kiddush Hashem accompanied by name recognition autograph requests and speaking engagements. But what happens to these former headliners one ten or twenty years down the line and how have their lives changed since those days of media hype and attention?

The Bamboo Cradle Kid│Jewish Jordan│Smuggler of the Syrians│Right Place Wrong Time│The Muroff Moment 

Claim to fame: THE BAMBOO CRADLE KID

Devorah Goldstein, 44

Baltimore, Maryland

In the beginning

My life was very quiet. I was a normal teen — I schmoozed a lot, was very social. I had a lot of friends I’m still in touch with. We try to attend each other’s simchahs, which is really special.

The moment that made me a household name

When my father wrote the book, The Bamboo Cradle, I was 16. He had lost his job and decided it was a great time to write a book about how he and my mother adopted me in Taiwan.

When he asked my permission, I said, “Absolutely not!”

He said, “Okay.”

When he came back and asked again, I saw it was important to him. So I said, “Let’s make a list. You write why you want to write it and I’ll write why not.”

My father’s list was one line: To make a kiddush Hashem. My list was all selfish reasons: it’s nobody’s business, I don’t need everyone knowing — typical teenager kvetches. But who could argue with what my father wrote on his list?

How my life changed

My friends were great. They just accepted it. People would come up to me all the time to ask for my autograph. I used to write paragraphs because I’d think, What’s so special about my name? Let me attach it to something meaningful!

The first time a good friend went with me to Lakewood, I warned her that people would be staring at us. She looked at me and said, “Devo, no offense, no one is going to be looking at us. No one cares!” After an hour and a half, she turned to me and said, “Oh, my gosh, you were right — I can’t take it! Everyone is looking at us!”

Because I get recognized a lot in public, I always feel like I have to be put together. I think to myself, What if I bump into somebody for the first time and I don’t make a good impression?

Over the years, people who were inspired by the book have asked me to speak and tell my story. At a recent Torah Umesorah convention, I was the keynote speaker on Shabbos night. I was really touched that so many women came to listen. This past winter, I spoke in London to more than 1,000 women for a kiruv organization.

My kids are all different, but they’re all very proud of my story. The underlying message in our home is that Hashem is truly guiding our lives in everything we do — from mundane things like a bad grade to getting into dance for school. Once we started with shidduchim, it was especially clear to us how HaKadosh Baruch Hu leads the way in everything.

Unexpected fame

I was not expecting the name recognition we got. I actually don’t speak publicly in Baltimore, where I live, because I don’t want to be known as “the Bamboo Cradle lady.” I want to be known as my kids’ mother and Yaakov’s wife. Here, I’m just Devorah Goldstein.

It’s tough getting used to

The picture on the cover of the book. I was a gawky, gangly 16-year-old when it came out. It was so awkward to see my picture there!

The reactions

It was nice knowing that I can have a small cheilek in bringing HaKadosh Baruch Hu’s name into the world. The message I want to get out is that Hashem is in your daily life — recognize Him, welcome Him, and talk to Him. Realize that He is there and recognize His presence.

My oldest son recently had a baby boy who was named Avraham Yechezkel, Avraham after my father z”l. This is the first baby in my family to be named after my father, and the timing was extra special because my father’s yahrtzeit was that Shabbos — the shalom zachar was on his yahrtzeit. Who says anything happens by chance?

I’m very grateful. When I look back at what I’ve accomplished and everything Hashem has given me — I’m married, raising a beautiful Torah family, my husband and I have nachas from our children and grandchildren — I think to myself, “Wow! Look at what I’ve done in my 40-plus years!”

Blast from the past

When I married off my oldest son in Baltimore three and a half years ago, the rav who helped mekarev me and my parents came with his wife. I hadn’t seen them in years. Although he was in aveilus, he and his wife still drove down from New York; his wife attended the chuppah while he stayed outside. With tears in her eyes, she told me that they wouldn’t have missed it for anything. Her husband had been part of the beis din that was megayer me. She said, “When you’re megayer somebody, you take achrayus for their neshamah — the good and the bad. By us coming and seeing your beautiful frum family, and now you’re marrying off your son, this — for us — is true nachas!”

Last words

I invited my Asian manicurist, who I schmooze with a lot, to my oldest son’s chuppah. My close friends, who teased me about inviting her, later told me that people were staring at her, saying, “Oh, my gosh! Devorah found her long-lost sister!” The laugh was on my friends — she gave a very generous gift of $300 cash!