He was also so proud of his grandchildren. Many dignitaries would visit the offices of The Jewish Press and Zaidie would always ask me to come to the office so that he could show me off.
I miss him so…
Meir Greenwald
I have many memories of Zaidie. It’s hard to pick just a few. Sadly, some fade with time.
My thoughts keep bringing me to his last Shabbos in this world. I was privileged to spend it with Zaidie at Maimonides Hospital, and I was probably one of the last family members to see him alive. I believe he passed away the following day and I might not have appreciated those moments as much as I should have.
What I remember was that despite being in pain, despite the hospital setting, Zaidie had a Gemara in hand all the time, and when he wasn’t learning he was asking about my siblings and me. He wanted to know what was going on in our lives.
Most of my memories of Zaidie are of the many daily interactions I had with him later in life. It’s only after someone is gone that you look back and appreciate those moments that at the time might have seemed mundane, but that you now realize were precious time spent with a person you loved and respected.
Going over to Zaidie’s house when he needed someone to check his sugar levels, driving him to and from work when it got hard for him to be behind the wheel, helping him walk to our house for a Shabbos meal – these are some of the small things that gave me precious time with him.
One moment stands out from the rest. It was Purim and as I did every year with Zaidie we delivered shalach manos to his friends. He would drive and I would hand over the basket. One year we drove to a house and instead of a basket of food, he gave me an envelope with nothing written on it and told me to slip it under the door and leave. That seemed strange but I did as he asked. Later in the car I pressed him for an answer. Reluctantly, he told me that someone he knew had just lost his job and had many bills to pay, so he put money in an envelope with the hope that it would help the man and his family have a stress-free Purim.
That was Zaidie: his whole life always learning Torah and always caring about others, especially family. A giant of a man, of whom no words can really do justice.
Shandee Fuchs
Zaidie had a very big influence on my life. As far back as I can remember Zaidie was always learning or giving a shiur. Even when he was at work at The Jewish Press his office was full of sefarim that he used on a constant basis. In the summer we would go to hotels where Zaidie always gave a shiur on Shabbos. He always ended on a positive note that uplifted people.
Zaidie loved having guests. In the hotel he usually had a very large table in the dining room because his way of enjoying Shabbos was to have his entire extended family and close friends together.
I remember the times Bubbie and Zaidie came to visit us in Israel. What a special treat. We would travel all over the country with them. Anyone Zaidie met would have to give him a dvar Torah.
Zaidie always made me feel as though I was the most important person in his life. No matter what he was doing, or how busy he was when I walked into the room, his face would light up. He made me feel as though I could do anything I set my mind to.