Kappores 2009

A Gmar Tov to all

Cousin Dvar Torah

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This year's fourth grade class in Shulamith School for Girls features four cousin's in one class. They are third cousins (and one third cousin once removed). This past Friday they decided to collectively give the weekly Dvar Torah by lunch. I am sure all of the grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great-grandparents and great-great-great-grandparents are shepping much yiddishe nachas.

What follows is a link to the video presentation of the Dvar Torah.

Enjoy!

Cousin Dvar Torah

Rose's Shloshim

All,

Last night was Aunt Rose's shloshim. Speeches were given by Dudie, Yitzchok, Tzvi , BB and Dovid.

Below please find excerpts from some of the speeches.

BB's Speech:

In their life, during a time when the Shearis Hapleytah were just happy to be alive and rebuilding their families, the challenges and opportunities presented to Uma A’H and Upa A’h were unprecedented and certainly do not present themselves today.

A newly married couple at the forefront of personal giving and Chesed not through organizational efforts, but from their own home.

The magnitude of their greatness... the enormity of their selflessness to the tzibbur is a life’s work that I can’t imagine can be replicated in our lifetime. The tzibbur has always recognized and acknowledged the greatness of Upa and Uma.

As Elisha and Dudie eloquently stated at Uma’s Levaya "our queen has passed away"; and as Nutie spoke from his heart 'Uma and Upa always were at the helm of a most regal Diamond Mishpachah.'

No matter how long the day, Uma A’H always had time for her family and extended family.

I was zoche to spend much time with Uma and Upa. I was zoche to see the kibbud Av that Uma had for her father, Upa Strochen A"H. It was not a common sight to have anybody “Outside” of the immediate family attend the Diamond Sedarim. However, Upa Strochen was at his seat year after year and Uma tended to his every need.

I am especially thankful for the past 18 years to have had Uma with me, my family and children in Miami for the winter months. We would walk with Uma, people would stop or run up and kiss Uma relaying stories reminding her, thanking her for her chessed and Uma A’H would roll her eyes and flash her wide, warm loving smile. It would give us so much pride.

It is not the same without Uma in our lives.

Many come to Florida for vacation however for Uma it was just the nice weather. She never ceased her outgoing generous and giving nature. The alte yid down the hall who’s wife was in the hospital for months, had delivered to his door every evening as Uma would say “a Nice- fresh -Hot- Soup” and it was always nice, always fresh and always hot.

The widows, Uma’s group of merry friends that would congregate at the apartment for dinner and a game of Rummikub which in kind they would let Uma win. And more importantly we witnessed how Uma cared For Ani A’H with such love and total devotion there was always an abundance of selfless devotion for the Tzibbur and the family.

In looking into the previous week and this weeks parsha for Divrey Torah for the shloshim of Uma A’H, I found myself drawing a blank. I began to look at seforim, m’forshim and I noticed Uma’s Tzeneh Ureneh that she had left in apartment 706 in Miami Beach that Sruli and Evelyn so graciously alerted me to take.

I saw a place mark--recognizably Uma’s with her hand writing-- in one of the volumes and I decided to open the page.

A WISE WOMAN:Vayehi Bayom Hashmini it was on the eighth day (Vayikra 9:1) Shlomo Hamelech Says in Mishlei Chachmois Nashim Bunsoh Vaysah the wisdom of Woman Builds her House (Mishlei 14:1) which teaches us that the T orah is likened to a wise woman. The Pasuk speaks of her wisdom in the plural form of the word because the Torah is replete with wisdom. It is like a clever woman who builds her home upon strong foundations and guards it well, bringing into it all that is needed and cooking good food, preparing pleasant drink, setting her table and inviting her friends. So to is the Torah it is as full of wisdom as a table set with delicious food.

This table / the shulchan that was always set and always perfect what becomes of it now?

The famous last p’sukim in parshas Vayechi says Yaakov loh Mais the gemmorah Taanis Daf 5b relays that Rebbi Nachman and Rebbi Yitzchok were eating together.

Rebbi Nachman asked Rebbi Yiztzchak to relate some words of Torah.

Rebbi Yitzchak said in the name of Rebbi Yochanan that one should never talk while he is eating because it is a sakanah as the food might go down the wind pipe.

After they finished eating Rebbi Yitzchak said in the name of Rebi Yochanan that Yaakov aveinu never died. And that the Pasuk means Yaakov did not die. Rav Nachman asks how could he have not died? If he was eulogized he was embalmed, Yaakov was buried?

Rebbi Yitzchok answered that he is making an inference from the Pasuk which compares Yaakov to his children. Just like his children are alive so too he must be alive.

The Gemmorah continues that when Rebbi Nachman and Rebbi Yitzchak were leaving each other Rebbi Nachman asked Rebbi Yitzchak for a Bracha Rebbi Yitzchak responded with a Moshul:

A person was walking in the desert he was hungry thirsty and tired.

He came upon a tree with sweet fruit, plenty of pleasing shade, and a spring running through it.

The man ate from the tree drank from the spring and sat in the shade .

When was leaving this oasis he pondered as to what bracha he could give this magnificent tree.

He could not bless the tree that its fruit should be sweet of that it should have beautiful shade or that spring water should run through it since it possessed all of these traits.

He did bless the tree that it should be the will of Hashem that all of its shoots saplings be just like it.

Rebbi Yitzchok explained To Rebbi Nachman that he cannot bless him with Torah riches or children because he already possessed those things.

Rebbi Yitzchak blessed Rebbi Nachman that all of his children should be just like him.

Just three weeks ago my mother and Duddie got up from shiva.

Just a few days later I, my family and siblings marched into my parents house for Pesach like nothing happened the week prior. The food in abundance, the house magnificent as always, nothing lacking. Uma A’H’s room occupied by children.

In the middle of the night my youngest woke up and I quietly went down the stairs to get a bottle. I smelled an aroma of delicious food and noises of kitchen busy . Sure enough mommy your were in the kitchen cooking at 2am.

My Brothers, Sister and I were always amazed at my Father’s special tending to Uma A’H and his un- relenting patience. This year at the seder at every stage, at every song, we looked at Uma’s empty seat for her enthusiastic smile and exact instructions.

After 46 years of marriage my father led his first seder. However it was the same seder with the same songs and resemblance from beginning to the melodious and heartrending Chasal Sidur Pesach, without waiver or change echoing the halls of Brooklyn Avenue. Uma’s spirit was certainly with us.

The morning shiva was over my mother called me to tell me that after the shiva. Uncle Shulim ad mea v’esrim may he have complete refuah sheleymah, came in the morning with all of her cousins for davening and walked out of the shiva house up the street together. My mother went on to tell me, which I could have guessed, that afterward everybody sat down in her kitchen for a hot breakfast and the chatter laughter and camraderie continued in synch as it has for generations.

When Upa was niftar in our home in Belle Harbor on Shabbos Parshas Noach my father, brothers and I were outside. An hour or so later we ate lunch outside in the succah that was still up. We watched inside the house as lunch was served Uma A’h, Bubby A’h, Goldie A’h and relatives that were there, ate talked and laughed at the Shabbos table. I was told Bubby A'h stopped for a second to reflect if perhaps their behavior was in appropriate since the niftar was less than 20 feet away. Bubby smiled and said “this is exactly what Upa would want” and the Diamonesque Shabbos seuda continued.

May it be the will of Hashem that Uma in shomayim together reunited with Upa in Gan Eden be a meylitz yoisher for us all for anything lacking and a meylitz yoisher For klal yisroel. May my mother and Duddie find nechomah and strength with the magnificent nachla they have been bestowed. And may we all be zoche to reunite with are revered Avos and Imos at the coming of Moshiach B’Korov.

Baruch Dayan HaEmes

It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Chaya Roiza bas Avraham Moshe AKA Aunt Rose. She was a woman of true grace and was fiercely devoted and dedicated to both her nuclear and extended family.

Please feel free to comment about Aunt Rose in the comment section and please send me pictures to post so that we may all share in remembering her life.

ALSO, so that they are not forgotten, below please find a group of pictures I took of various family members buried in the Wellwood Cemetery. By clicking on the slideshow you will be taken to the online album where there are captions. You can also comment on the pictures.

Catching up

A lot has happened since the last post. If i missed anything let me know.

1. Sara Nechama got married
2. Chevie got married
3. Sara got engaged
4. Akiva had a baby
5. Kalman had a baby
6. Yitzy L. got engaged
7. Yehudis L. got engaged


Also, for your viewing enjoyment the following are pictures from Channukah 2008 and Purim 2009

ENJOY!

Sukkos 2008

For all to enjoy, pictures from this past year's annual Sukkos Chol Hamoed trip.

MAZAL TOV!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mazal Tov

To Aliza and Ari on the birth of a baby girl.. Naming to be this Shabbos IY"H.

May they see much yiddishe nachas from her and Fischel and Dovid.