|
April 1, 2022 (29 Adar II 5782) A Good Soul Dear Friends, I hope this correspondence find you doing well, in good health and good cheer. We hope that you will be able to join us this Shabbat for our hybrid services at 10:30AM, which will take place both in person as well as on our new Zoom prayer link. We continue to build our in-service attendance each Shabbat, and we are grateful for your participation, in whatever manner works for you! As many of you know, this past week the congregation suffered a loss with the passing of one of our longtime members, Ellen Grawi, of blessed memory. At first glance, her life was somewhat tragic. Her husband Heinz pre-deceased her over a quarter of a century ago and they were not blessed with children. There was no extended family and Ellen, as she advanced in age, often felt lonely as friends found it more difficult to visit. When the funeral arrangements were being made, the lawyer even asked me if anyone would show up. Nonetheless, our congregation, as it so often does, stepped up to the plate. The day of the funeral was marked by chilling weather and strong winds. On that day, due to communication I had with one of her last remaining friends, part of Ellen’s life-story was shared. She was born in Germany, her father a prominent physician and her mother, a traditional housewife. Her parents intuited the rise of antisemitic sentiments in Berlin and when Ellen was just three years old, they left on a ship and eventually arriving in Brazil. She spent much of her youth there until the family relocated to the United States. Ellen’s father passed away and shortly thereafter, her mother became infirm. Working one and sometimes two jobs, for years Ellen was the primary caregiver for mom. She married Heinz and the two of them were blessed with many happy years together. In the same way Ellen extended her sense of Chesed (lovingkindness) to her parents and husband, on the day of the burial, she was surrounded by members of our synagogue community who extended that same sense of lovingkindness to her, particularly in her later years. Without divulging names, we should be proud that members of our team regularly shopped for her, escorted her to weekly doctor appointments, arranged for her meals, tried connecting her with home health aides, counseled her for hours on the phone, and reached out to her regularly by phone. Most importantly, she was laid to rest surrounded by people who dearly cared, and our synagogue has already uploaded her name onto our electronic Yahrzeit board, such that her name will never be forgotten. Being part of a community includes being available for both Smachot (happy occasions) as well as more challenging times. As we enter this Shabbat, I pray that you will be inspired as was I, by the lovingkindness expressed by our team. In Ellen’s memory, let us use the week ahead to reach out to those in need, brighten someone’s day, offer laughter to a friend, and connect with each other in a loving and supportive way. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Eric L. Wasser, EdD.
|