A SPECIAL YAHRZEIT Some years ago on the memorial day for my mother’s death, September 23, it was also Yom Kippur. That morning a young woman walked around the synagogue to find people who should be on the Bema, or pulpit, for the Aliyah – the opening of the ark to bring out the scrolls of the Torah. She picked me. It was quite an honor. The woman asked me if I thought I could carry the Torah because it was heavy. I told her I thought I could. When I was on the Bema everyone was asking could I carry it. Then the rabbi asked as well. I kept telling every- one I could but I was praying inside that I could do it. When I walked through the aisles of the temple, perhaps not following the instruc- tions of the lady who was guiding me, I came to a bottleneck and took an aisle that was not so crowded. Because I did I came to an elderly lady sitting there who didn’t realize I was standing close to her with the Torah. So I tapped her and she was so happy that she was able to put her prayer book on the Torah and kiss it. Beside being such an honor it was a very emotional experience for me because I had lost my brother, Marvin, just a few months earlier and it was also my mother’s Yahrzeit. I was wearing a man’s style hat and when they placed the Torah in my arms it sort of knocked my hat and I asked the rabbi to take it off my head. Well, I made it and I felt great that I did. When I got back to my seat Stephen’s wife, Diane, told me that it was supposed to be her that carried the Torah but that she had a mitzvah because she arrived late and I took her place. She said her mitzvah was because she gave me a mitzvah. ANOTHER CLOSE CALL When I was 82 I was in perfect health, exercising and swimming nearly every day. I felt strong and healthy. When my friends would go shopping with me they couldn’t keep up. Then Herman got a very bad cold. It wasn’t long before I got it too. It got so bad that when I coughed I thought my ribs would crack. I couldn’t shake it. A month went by
Herman with Joe and Jessica horsing around.
Herman with Jessica and Lauren
Dorothy reading to a child
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