Brooklyn, NY — Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz spent Thursday afternoon at the Jewish Children’s Museum in Brooklyn honoring the nine finalists of the annual Holocaust Memorial Scholarship Contest. The contest is a project of the Brooklyn Jewish Heritage Committee and includes students from all of Brooklyn’s public high schools.
More pictures in the Extended Article!
Remembering a Crown Heights fixture who synthesized Jewish learning and secular knowledge in a singular way.
In the deepest early morning of March 7, on California’s Pacific Coast Highway, a gold Cadillac driven by a drunk ran a red light, hit a bus and then spun around until it smacked into a white rental car driven by a man named Gedaliah Shaffer. Shaffer had flown into California from Brooklyn that evening, and as an inveterate traveler began the journey to a professional conference with a little sightseeing on one of the country’s more scenic drives.
But when the Cadillac hit him, Shaffer was instantly killed.
The Midrash records the story of when Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai lost his son. Upon hearing the news his students all came to comfort him. Each one cited another great individual who had lost a child. To each he responded, “You are not comforting me. You are, instead, giving me more to grieve about.” In the end, Rabbi Eliezer ben Azaryah was the one who comforted him. He presented the following analogy:
A king once deposited a very special object with a trusted subject. Every day, the man would anticipate the moment when he could return the precious object and no longer have to bear the responsibility. He was apprehensive that he might not return it to the king in perfect condition. How happy was he when the awaited day arrived, and he was able to return a perfect item to the king.
“So too,” said Rabbi Eliezer, “Hashem gave you a precious deposit. You nurtured it; you taught him Torah, and he left this world sinless, a pious scholar who took leave of his earthly abode much in the manner that he arrived – perfect. You should feel good that you returned the 'King's' deposit in such exceptional condition.”
The Midrash records the story of when Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai lost his son. Upon hearing the news his students all came to comfort him. Each one cited another great individual who had lost a child. To each he responded, “You are not comforting me. You are, instead, giving me more to grieve about.” In the end, Rabbi Eliezer ben Azaryah was the one who comforted him. He presented the following analogy:
A king once deposited a very special object with a trusted subject. Every day, the man would anticipate the moment when he could return the precious object and no longer have to bear the responsibility. He was apprehensive that he might not return it to the king in perfect condition. How happy was he when the awaited day arrived, and he was able to return a perfect item to the king.
“So too,” said Rabbi Eliezer, “Hashem gave you a precious deposit. You nurtured it; you taught him Torah, and he left this world sinless, a pious scholar who took leave of his earthly abode much in the manner that he arrived – perfect. You should feel good that you returned the ‘King’s’ deposit in such exceptional condition.”
Fox Chapel, PA — A routine errand for Rabbi Ely Rosenfeld put him on a path he wasn’t anticipating: working in support of those who deal daily with the unanticipated.
Three months ago, Rabbi Rosenfeld became chaplain to the 35-member Guyasuta Fire Department, the largest of three firefighting units in O’Hara.
With sadness we inform you of the passing of R. Mendel Clapman OBM of Flatbush.
He is survived by his wife Bina and his children, R. Yehuda Clapman (Crown Heights), Chana Leah Chaifetz (Flatbush) and R. Binyomin Clapman (Far Rockaway, NY).
The Levaya will be Today, Friday, from Shomrei Hadaas at 12:00pm.
Baruch Dayan Haemes
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