From the weekly email addressed to the Chabad Jewish
Community of Toms River, NJ
By: Rabbi Moshe Gourarie
By: Rabbi Moshe Gourarie
"Why are there no Jews in
Jail?" I asked him, "Nu," he said curiously. I responded,
"Cause they eat Lox"! A smile lit up his face. This was the last joke
we shared just a few days before his passing.
As Chanie's maternal grandfather we
weren't biologically related, nevertheless in more ways than one, he was my
Zeidy.
Ever since Chanie and I married in 2001,
he treated me like one of his own many grandchildren KA"H.
He was the patriarch of a great and
large family, the head of a very large business, spent countless hours a day
learning Torah, and yet always found time for each and every one of his
children and grandchildren. Always inquiring, advising, caring and helping.
He would tell us that he was once asked,
what does he attribute his success? He would answer, 95 percent good luck
(G-d’s blessings), and 5 percent his personal expertise. He would then add, “If
I had the choice, I would trade in the 5 percent of expertise, for 5 more
percent of good luck.”
He had a great sense of humor, always
telling jokes and enjoying a new one which he hadn't heard. (He once shared the
secret to a good marriage, "she [my wife] always laughs at my jokes, even
the ones she heard ten times,"). He always infused every situation, as
grim as they sometimes seemed, with his good and happy spirit.
Before we established Chabad in Toms
River, he was the one we could go to for advice and support. (He counseled me
as he looked over my employment contract, "A contract is not worth
any more than the person who signs it"). Over the last seven years, he
continued his unending support for our activities.
In honor of his ninetieth birthday, his
children gave him the very special gift of commissioning the writing of a Torah
in his, and Bubby's, honor. Of all places, he chose to have the Torah installed
in the Chabad House of Toms River.
We held the event at the former Jewish
Center of Toms River (at the time Temple Beth Shalom), which we had hoped to
purchase as the Chabad Center. When he saw the "For sale" sign, he
asked me to write down the number so he can call the realtor and give an offer.
He remained very involved in the
negotiations for the next few months, using all of his experience to try and
pull a deal together. When we found the current location, he and his family
contributed very generously and significantly. We would not have been
able to purchase this property without their help. He did this because he was a
firm believer in our mission of bringing Jews closer to G-d and to Judaism.
In our last conversation, I had told him about certain
individuals who had recently begun to observe Shabbos, and he beamed with
pride.
The Torah was completed with great pomp
and fanfare here in Toms River, giving many their first opportunity to partake
in such a unique celebration. It united the community with this wonderful and
momentous occasion. (See
photo gallery).
Shortly after we moved, he made the trip
from Brooklyn. He wanted to see the property personally and up close and
he was very pleased.
At a Bris ceremony, we say, “may this
small one [grow up and] become big…” He said of our Chabad House, “May
this big one become [too] small…”
Whenever we would meet, he would ask
about the Minyan, activities and the community members. Some members he had met
would lovingly refer to him as "reb Zeidy."
This was his Nachas. This was my Zeidy.
The new bookcase in our Shul has been
dedicated in his memory, as "Reb Zeidy's Library." We will be
expanding this library of Jewish learning and reading books. You can join in by
clicking here. An inscription will be placed in the book and the family will be
notified of each addition.