After 72 Consecutive Years She Didn’t Miss Shofar
by Rabbi Chaim Rosenstein- Jewish Liaison to the City of Lauderhill, FL
On the first day of Rosh Hashana, I walked 3.5 miles each way together with my wife and children to blow Shofar at Sunrise Rehab.
Several years ago, Rabbi Shmuly Heidingsfeld of Chabad Of Central Broward entrusted me with servicing Sunrise Rehab with all their Jewish holiday needs.
My plan was to blow Shofar 5 times; once at each nurses station, and head back home.
As we were making our way from one nurses station to the next, we encountered a group of residents sitting together in the hallway and they called out “Shana Tov” we responded in kind and proceeded to blow Shofar for them.
After Shofar, one young woman identified herself to me as Doloras Friedman and proceeded to tell me the following:
“This is my first time in 72 years (since I was 18 years old) that I missed Shofar in Shul, and my son in law helped create your shul.”
I replied, “You didn’t miss it in shul. This year, we brought the shul to you!”
Doloras began to cry and replied “my son in law Goldberg helped create your shul.”
I wished her Shana Tova and continued on our way.
When I got to Shul, I immediately told the story to Rabbi Aron Lieberman (Head Shliach of Lauderhill) and asked him if he was assisted in building the shul by a man named Goldberg? He replied “No”. A few minutes later, Rabbi Lieberman asked me, “Perhaps she said Frank Gober,” I replied “Possibly”. Rabbi Lieberman replied, “Of course! I know the entire family!”.
On Tzom Gedaliah, I arranged with Rabbi Lieberman and the nursing home coordinator to set up a visit with Mrs. Friedman. I had the zchus of accompanying Rabbi Lieberman on the visit and documenting the reunion between a woman and her Rabbi 40 years later.
B’H Doloras Friedman was told that she will be going home in the coming days, and she hopes to visit Chabad of Inverrary in the near future.
