Black
Usually we don’t get to tell people how we feel about them and then its very often too late – i too have never told you. But as we now all feel the presence of your neshama – Sylvia & I want and need to not only say our last goodbyes, but to also tell you how we will be ever-lastingly grateful for what you added over a lifetime, to our lives and those of our children’s.
Black, it is impossible to speak of you in the past because for 65 years you have always been such a vital and on-going part of my world since we began nursery school together in 1948.
Since that day i have never known a world without you. I know that the same love and respect that i have for you is felt by each and everyone here today – and now as we say our final goodbyes, we all you want you to know black, how privledged we feel to have had you in our lives. You have always been a role model and beacon of the highest possible morality and integrity, combined with absolute humility and genuine caring.
Ego or a patronising attitude were simply not you & irrespective of the popularity of your advice or stance, you never wavered one iota from what you knew to be the correct and the honorable way of behaving in each and every situation – it is written –“ish hayashar be-einav ya-aseh” – (one should do what you feel to be right) – this black, you could have written as it always was your underlying principle. This is why we all so love and respect you.
I know in the future, when the grief of your passing has abated a bit, that i will be able to look back and smilingly remember your lovely smile, your giggle and love of jokes and the inumerable wonderful interactions we had during our long and on-going loving relationship, but i am not yet able to do so, because my cup is running over with sadness and sorrow.
As we approach rosh hashana and yom kippur and their theme of soul -searching, the need for a meilitz yosher – an advocate to plead our case before hashem for a good life – is emphasized. How apt it is that someone with your yosher and unbending principles will be our meilitz yosher.
Could i ask everyone here to please close yor eyes for a few seconds and let us reflect together what gerald has meant to us all, and the good we wish for Brenda Uri Nadav Tanya Stacy and Elad, and their children.
My very dearest friend who i love so much, leich beshalom vetanuach beshalom – you are leaving us physically, but you will live on for us forever.