Op-Ed: Open Letter to Mrs. Basie Palace OBM

The Battle You Didn’t Lose

Last week, you lost your battle with the horrible illness that took your Neshama to Gan Eden. Your dear husband and children, your extended family, your friends, and communities and students all know how hard you fought – up to the last second with the last tiny bit of energy.

You fought and fought – you so wanted to win – to continue to live and give. But, Hashem is stronger, wiser and more experienced – and He needed you to come Home.

Don’t be sad.

You did in fact, win one battle – a very big battle. A battle, which will continue for generations and generations to come.

The Battle of “our Kinderlach is our # 1 priority.”

You were the champion in this battle.

You were such a “Dugmah Chaya.” You showed and lived your life by example. I guess it all first started in your own household, making sure that your dear sons and daughters had everything that they needed to be raised according to Torah and Mitzvos and that they all had the proper tools to combat the negative influences of today’s very tough world. All you wanted with every ounce of your being, is that your Kinderlach should be on the right track – not just on the routine right track but with SIMCHA and POSITIVE ENERGY. Your children’s well-being was your mission statement and your # 1 goal.

And that battle you won hands down.

But Mrs. Palace – What’s so amazing is that you took that very same battle from your household and forged ahead with it to ALL THE KINDERLACH – in the community at large.

You had a battle going to make sure that every single boy and girl in our community had the proper chinuch, tools and the right positive attitude to follow Torah and Mitzvos. You met with Rabayim, teachers and educators and gave them the positive reinforcement they all needed. You made sure to give it to them with energy and most of all with SIMCHA.

YOUR ENCOURGEMENT WAS MAGICAL. It worked every time and, it made everybody around you get onto that bandwagon to make sure to keep that Agenda in the forefront. The Agenda that “our Kinderlach are our # 1priority.”

And I speak as one of the recipients of your Agenda.

Some eight years ago, here in Los Angeles, we saw the tremendous need of our very own Anash children. This was a very simple need – the need of “raising the bar” on how our children daven in Shul on Shabbos. We began the Jr. Minyan- Kol Yakov Yehuda – The Rebbe’s Diamond daveners, and as in all beginnings and new things it was a bit tough.

But you, dear Mrs. Palace, came along and began pushing your Agenda. You gave us the Chizuk and the positive energy , not only with words but with action – with your time, with your gifts, and with your drive.

Your uplifting messages and smile – and I mean not just for your own beautiful children who attended our shul, but for every single Misspallel, you treated, spoke and smiled at each and every one of our Kinderlach when you saw them. You made them feel like they can and will change the world.

Your one of a kind “mothers touch that you posses “was used not only on your own children but on all the children in our community. In fact all Kinderlach in our community were your children.

That Battle you indeed won with flying colors.

On a personal note, the Chizuk you gave to me, I will never forget. Whenever a thought came into my mind, perhaps to pass on the mantle of giving our own Kinderlach what they so desperately need today with the Jr. Minyan, you and your positive philosophy and energy, AND LIVING EXAMPLE – quickly pushed that thought away.

Doing things in a practical way was always your style. Your gifts on every single Yom Huledes on behalf of the Kinderlach just had your touch like no one else has.

All for the sake of your # 1 priority- our own Anash Kinderlach.

Indeed that Battle you won!!!

To our Hanhalah’s and Mechanchim – let us remember and follow this mother’s lifetime pursuit and objectives to find the GOOD in every one of our Talmidim and Talmidos – to help them achieve their potential, with positive energy and Simcha. (not always with a shteken)

To your entire family, but especially to your four youngest – our dear Misspallelim , Schneur, (our past Gabbai) Shuli (our great davener and organizer) Rivka Leah & Chaya Mushka (our Bobsy twins & winners of our laptop contest KYY#4), I want to say Chazak Chazak. “Keep your mother’s Agenda and dream alive.” She would do anything and everything for you – tyere Kinderlach, to go in the Derech Hashem and the Rebbe’s ways. She did that with all her Koichois till the very last breath that she had.

Remember her smile, her drive, her simcha -and most of all, for the seeing the GOOD in everything and everyone. She possessed and passed on the positive to anyone who met her. Continue to give her nachas and show her the fruits of her labor.

And also, thanks for sharing her with us all. She was your mother, but she was also the mother of the Rebbe’s moisdois here in Los Angeles. She was the mother of all the schools you attended. She was the mother of many community Kinderlach. She was even the mother of our city’s Rabonim and Mechanchim – giving them the message of “positive energy.”

And yes, she was also the mother of our little Diamonds –the Rebbe’s Diamond Daveners.

In closing,

Schneur, Shuli, Rivka Leah & Chaya Mushka, and to all of the Palace children and extended children, we know anything we say or do will not lessen the unbearable pain that you have. Please find some comfort in the fact that your mom was a very, very special mom to you and to hundreds of others – including me, my wife and children, and our fellow daveners.

To you Mrs. Palace, we will reenergize and attempt to continue your Agenda and Mission Statement. We will continue with all our efforts to give special attention to our very own children, we will follow in your footsteps to uplift the future generation.

You may have lost one battle, but to your dear husband, family, friends and hundreds of children -YOU ARE AND WILL ALWAY BE A WINNER !!!!!!!!!!

Please as you enter Shamayim – “May Hashem listen to you with your pleas on behalf of all of our Kinderlach and all of Klal Yisroel to send Moshiach speedily.”

On behalf of all the Kinderlach of KYY – The Rebbe’s Diamond Daveners

Mendel Duchman,
Los Angeles