Rabbi's Desk

As I was preparing this email, I received the most unfortunate news. Our dear member, Mark Olkon, has suddenly passed away. Mark was the son of our late Cantor Elijah & Anna Olkon z"l and sister of Naomi Judith Olkon (Robert Cohen), of California.

Mark was a regular and active in our daily minyanim, often leading daily and Shabbat services. He read Torah on the high holidays for many years and chanted the Haftarah on many Shabbat mornings. Mark was friendly and approachable and loved by so many.

Funeral services for Mark Olkon z"l will take place at HTAA on Sunday, November 24th at 10:00 a.m. Burial will take place next week in Israel, where he will be laid to rest alongside his parents z"l.

As Mark approaches the Garden of Eden, he will join Lil Goldberg z"l, another gem of our community, who was laid to her eternal rest just yesterday. The mitzvotand acts of kindness that Mark and Lil accumulated is inspirational and they will never be forgotten.

The Torah portion read this week is euphemistically called the "Life of Sarah" even though it is really about her death and the intense grief that confronts Abraham and Isaac.

Mourners often hear: You never get over the death of a loved one; but you learn to get through it. We know that our loved ones remain with us as long as we live. We treasure our memories of their lives and we carry them with us as we continue on. We find consolation not by forgetting them, but by bringing them along with us every day of our lives.

This Shabbat, I invite you to invoke the memories of those who have touched your lives. Whether the grief is fresh or still feels fresh, by acknowledging our memories, we may utilize their strength as fuel and motivation and comfort to carry on.

May the legacies of Mark Olkon and Lil Golberg and all who built, established, and maintained our congregation forever fuel our inspiration and our determination as a community.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Suson