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January 13, 2002

Eulogy for Pauline Greenbaum (2002)

Eulogies & Memorials
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Speech

Eulogy for Mrs. Beatrice Greenbaum (1967)

The Hassidic author of Benei Yissachor tells us that the name Nisan, comes from the word nes, meaning miracle, because this is the month in which great miracles occurred. What is the greatest of all miracles? This we can determine from the word nes itself. The word is composed of two letters, nun and samekh, which are, respectively, the initial letters of two Hebrew words: nofel, and somekh.This indeed is the greatest miracle of all Jewish history.We have experienced the worst vicissitudes that have ever befallen any people; time and again we have been in the category of fiofel, fallen to the lowest depths of misery and suffering. Yet our re- deeming feature has been that always we have been somekh, we havefound support in the source✓׳of our faith, we have been able to riseagain to ever greater heights.This holds true not only for our people as a collective group,but also for individuals. Even if we experience ynofel - we must have the faith and the confidence that someday, somehow, by some means,-2-we shall achieve somekh.At a time of this sort, I cannot eulogize,because we are now in the afterglow of the holiday of Passover, nor am I permitted by Jewish law to offer the usual consolation at a time that the body of a loved one lies before us. However, I have only this prayer:that even as you are now if nofel try to have the fiaith and theconfidence that in time you will achieve somekh, that the God Who has given you the blessing of the past will give you the strength to survive this tragedy and this grief and this bereavement and, in HIgood time, you will find consolation as well. Of course, in yourpresent condition you think that it is Impossible, and that everagain to be a somekh would be a sheer miracle.ButI agree. It is a miracle. That is what a nes is: the factthat after being a fiofel, you too will be an somekh.
Eulogies & Memorials

Outline

Eulogy for Mrs. Bertha Green (1997)

Knew her close to 40 years; late husband Joseph. She would have been pleased by participation of her rabbis – but especially proud of magnificent tributes by her grandchildren. Kramer family – she was last surviving sibling; only one of this distinguished family to be born in USA. Source of ברכה – as her name... האי מאן דנפק בירחא דניסן וחזא אילנא דקא מלבלא – בעי לברוכי: ברוך אתה ה׳ א‑להינו מלך העולם, שלא חסר בעולמו כלום, וברא בו בריות טובות ואילנות טובות להנות בהם בני אדם. She was one of the preeminent בריות טובות – and when you meet one such Good Person, it makes all the world seem good, all life worthwhile.-She was a modern צדקת.-her חן + her 70n-AMIT/YUW0/TJC/RAS... -remembrd + acknowldg evry brthdy extnd fam -inveterate letter writer; le style c 'est la femme.. not only content letters, but: penmanship!- reflected hr charctr: easy flowing/smooth/no knots/obstacles, legible/accessible-she gave wife/me a precious gift—ff’p of her chldrn+gr־ch for nearl;y 4 decades &, esp las t 20 yrs—frndshp of Moshe/Charlotte & work fYU as leaders...-woman of stature—both in carriage/reput’n;upstanding+outstandingוהוי מקבל את כל האדם living exemplar of-בסבר פנים יפות—her bear'g/eleganc—& 0, her smile!—a smile ovrflow’g w sincrty, & one y could hear as well as see—a lilt, a chuckle.. >all else wll hv faded fr memory, asyrs merge into decades & decades stretch long, tht smile will remain firmly engravd on the tablets of our memry, radiat 'g warmth/ joy/ encourag't. & f those who know hw t listn carfully, thy wll hear her chuckle, invit 'g y t smile yr own smile, & look t future w confdnc & childrn will relate it gr-ch, & they t theirs..עוד והדר לבושה ותשחק ליום אחרוןלומר ־אמא שלנו איננה״\זה להרגיש שכל החי בר מת\וכל- המלא בך ריק\וכל השמח בו עצוב\וכל המאיר בו חשוך זה להתגעגע ולהתגעגע ולהתגעגע\ ולקנא במלאכיםשבשמים שהיא משרה עליהם עכשיו את יופיה
Eulogies & Memorials

Poem

Epitaph for Pauline Greenbaum (2002)

פעסל בת ר' אליעזר צבי לבית גרינבוים, Pauline Greenbaum, 1899–2002, נפ׳ כ״ח טבת תשס״ב – פנים שוחקות הראתה לכל עד סוף חייה, שנת מאה ושתיים, סעד הגישה לכל נצרך ועמוס עול, לב פתחה לכל, ולמשפחתה כפליים – Beloved Sister and Aunt – תנצב״ה.
Eulogies & Memorials