Tuesday December 3, 2013  9:00 PM 

5^th day of Chanukah

Har Menuchot,  Jerusalem, Israel

Dad, you were the Patriarch of the family, You were always there for us through thick and thin.

Exactly when a person leaves the world is not a coincidence; our Rabbis teach us that the day that subsequently becomes the person's Yahrtziet is a manifestation of that person’s strengths. That my father left the world during Chanukah tells us that he is like one of the Hashmonaim warriors who fought "milchamot Hashem".  Likewise, our family certainly must have some blood heritage from the Hashmonaim, also, as my sister Valerie's family have chosen to settle in the city of Hashmonaim.

My father's talents led him to be a man of science. As we are taught, " bechol derachecha da-ayhu", seek out Hashem in all of his worldly manifestations.  My father was a brilliant world known scientist- metallurgist who sought out Hashem by unlocking the mysteries of the universe. Despite his major accomplishments in his field, and despite his numerous awards and recognition, he remained an "onov", a humble man, never a " baal-gaavah", never boastful of his achievements.

My Dad was an eternal optimist, when asked how he was doing he would always state "Baruch Hashem", even when circumstances were difficult.

My most distant memories of Dad getting us through thick and thin take me back to when my sister, as a young child, fell down the stairs, and sustained a serious head injury, my family thought we were going to lose her. My family davened for her, and baruch Hashem she recovered. Instead of losing faith, from this incident, my parents returned closer to their Jewish roots.  My Dad was a "baal-teshuvah" and we know that "bamakom shebaaley-teshuvah omdim, tzaddikim gemurim anom omdim".

I remember as I prepared to become a bar-mitzvah boy, I never thought I would get through learning my bar-mitzva parsha. My Aunt recalls me rolling on the floor in protest, when studying with my father, but somehow my Dad persevered, and pushed me through it.

I recall my days in college and medical school, when I thought I just couldn't get through it, and I was ready to throw in the towel many times, Dad was always there to get me through it.

And similarly with the next generation, Dad was always there to encourage and teach my children. Dad was there night and day in person or by telephone, to help out with any math or physics problem Yardana could throw at him, sometimes until late at night. He was a gifted teacher, and got her through it.

We know the Jewish people got into trouble, lost the bet-hamikdash, lost out on living in the land of Israel, mainly for one reason, as it is stated in the "tochacha" in Kee Tavoh: "tachat asher lo avadetem et hashem elokaychem beshimcha oovetoov layvov marov kol".  As an antidote to this, Dad taught us most importantly about "Ivdu et Hashem besimcha|", to serve Hashem with joy, with music, singing and davening with Jewish music, with nusach.  It's no accident that as a family we are all involved with singing, music, davening etc. We can all still hear him with his powerful voice singing Kiddush, zemirot shel Shabbat etc. And I'm sure right now, that if we listen carefully we can hear him singing louder and louder at Hashem's Kiddush table in shamayim.

Love,  Randy