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May 6, 2019

One of the Highlights of My Life

Zionism Biographical Material
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Dear Members of The Center Family: It is difficult to exercise normal objectivity and restraint in describing the experience of Sukkot in Israel, and especially in Jerusalem. It is a time when differences in opinion and background seem to vanish, or at least mellow, and the whole country is swept up in its joyous celebration. Instead of a systematic and logical description, I shall simply offer a few disconnected vignettes in the hope that, together, they will somehow suggest the exhilaration felt by an American visitor.*Meah Shearim, the dags before Sukkot. The narrow streets are crowded with vendors and purchasers, haggling happily over price and quality of the arba minim. Pedigrees of estrogim are carefully described. Small and delicate Ashkenazi-type etrogim more green than yellow, growing naturally without the pitem — a sign of the purity of the species. Large, melon-sized Yemenite etrogim which most Americans have never seen. Jews of all types, with little children everywhere. This is what erev Sukkot must have looked like not only in the shtetl, but in ancient Babylon and ancient Israel as well.*Jerusalem, Sukkot. All traffic lights turn into blinkers as streets are crowded with old and young carrying their lularim and etrogim to shul. People seem to be planning for the great events at night — the beginning of Simhat Bet Ha’shoevah. This water-drawing festival begins on the eve of the second day of the holiday and continues to Shemini Atzeret. We attended the opening session at the Yeshurun synagogue, addressed by the Chief Rabbi and Ministers of Religions, and ending with the dignitaries and crowds joining in the dancing. How strange for an Amercan Jew to hear a band playing in the synagogue on the eve of the “second day of Yom Tov!” Every night, a different synagogue in a different area of the city sponsors such a celebration. Truly zeman simhateuu, “a time of our joy!”*Hol Humoed in the Vpper (ialilee. Turning a bend on the Northern Road, right at the Leb…
Sukkot Zionism Biographical Material

Speech

Yahrzeit - Zeide (1950)

Over a decade has passed since he was with us, a decade in which much has happened and in which the face of the world has been changed. During this lapse of time we have had the opportunity to view his life and death from a broader perspective, to submerge the minor details of his biography into the penumbra of our memory and to bring out in clear and sentimental pastel-shades the more fundsmental features of him and his life, in other words, the totality of Zeide. Perhaps the borders of the picture, the outlying regions of the mental portrait we have of him, is vague in the minds of many of us. But the central theme of the picture, the essential impression is, I believe, identical for all of us. I have been asked to speak to you, my family on this occasion of his yahrzeit. I can do no more than, In a few words, attempt to transmit to you what I think is the important part of th picture or impression that I have of him. And perhaps this very gathering of his family to remember him so reverently and lovingly is one aspect of the immortality of his soul. For can we not say that he lives on and lives again when, for a time, he dominates our train of thought? Biological or physical life is not the all of Life. Man is a social animinal, he lives among men, and therefore when he continues to occupy the minds and considerations of his fellows he cannot be said to have died in the full sense of the woi I dare say that Moses and Isaiah and Maimonides are more above todt than most of us. It is in this sense that I maintain that the gestalt of Zeide which hovers above us here, today, 16 alive in oui memory of his indomitable warmth and essential humanity. We welcome him into our midst. I feel that it is unfortunate for me not to have known him more and better than I did. But those memories I do have, them I cherish, and I hope you will allow me to share some of them with you. My very first memory of him — and I feel that the same is true for my brother and many of my cousins…
Biographical Material

Note

Zeide: Records & Recollections, Part 1

It is two days since I visited my grandfather’s grave, in commemoration of the first anniversary of his passing in 1948. It is superfluous to record the reactions of the family – they all loved and revered him so much. I too was sobbing through a choking throat and felt hot tears rolling down my cheeks. Yet I must admit that I was too confused and perplexed by the entire series of events – consisting of his passing and this first yahrzeit – to be able to be responsive to a single, clear type of emotion or sentiment. The tombstone itself was a remarkably fresh-looking and handsome tablet, and the inscription was attractive and appropriate. But there was something depressingly passive about it, a simple and concise summary of the man’s biography that not only could never do him justice, but was somehow, because of its passivity, contrary to his way of life. It was still, stagnant, and reminiscent of death because of its frozenness; in fact, this very thought made the odor of death come so much more pungently into my nostrils until it nauseated the very insides of me. Two parallel thoughts, as far as I can now discern, ran through my mind with competitive readiness. One was admiration and respect; the other, self-pity. I have already had one year – I might change that to: “although I have had only a year” – to think about his personality, his achievements, his self. The added perspective of my impressions and thoughts during the weeks immediately after he died certainly shed a new light on my attitude. I still think that he had much to give to the world in the way of new and creative ideas. Yet the way I see it now – and I believe that he would agree with me – the fact that he died almost immediately after accomplishing what he set out to do (publication of the second volume of his Responsa Emek Halakha) emphasized that he passed away after he achieved what he considered his mission in life. I therefore remain firm in my contention – that he lived a complete life, per…
Biographical Material