Here are Karen’s opening remark’s for the Third Annual Ariel Avrech Memorial Lecture. Afterwards Mrs. Rachel Friedman lectured brilliantly, and then Cantor Avshalom Katz lovingly chanted the “Kayl Malei Rachamim.” There was a lovely brunch where Seraphic friends met face to face for the first time. Karen and I want to thank everyone who attended, but especially Seraphic Secret friends who made such an effort and traveled, in some cases, so far, to attend and honor Ariel’s memory. Karen and I are deeply grateful for your generosity.
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Karen’s Opening Remarks
On Shavuous the Jews received the gift of the Torah, but I also received a private gift two weeks ago.
When you hear a new story about a loved one, it is almost like cheating death. You feel like time is moving forward for just an instant, because you have a fresh glimpse of this person. The new revelation, a snapshot of the person allows you to steal some extra time from the past, a life story you thought was sealed, now has a new chapter.
I received such a gift Erev Shavuous from one of Ariel’s oldest and dearest friends, Ari Miller. He told us a Shavuous story that is emblematic of Ariel. The boys of Yeshiva Gedolah had all stayed up all night for Tikun Lel Shavuot, The small group from this side of town decided it was worth it to walk back in the early morning craving the comfort of their own beds rather than crashing at friends for the entire holiday.
After walking four miles, as the boys neared the home stretch Ari recalls, “I was walking on auto pilot most of the way but the excitement of crawling into bed in a few minutes must have given me a second wind. As I neared the park bordering my house I became more awake. At that point I remember that Ariel was still giving divrei Torah and he probably had not stopped the entire way home.”
This was Ariel, always focused on Torah, never one to compartmentalize his life into the “fun” parts and the “Torah” parts. Everything was integrated and he never wasted a moment. When he left the house he tucked a sefer, under his arm, even for a five minute car trip.
One of Ariel’s friends told us that a la Charlie Brown, Ariel told him his definition of happiness. Here goes: Happiness, according to Ariel, was sitting in Bais Midrash struggling through a torturous sugyah, portion, of Gemara, Talmud, solving it, and then going out for a cool, tall, glass of water.
Ariel’s Kever, his grave, includes the phrase, Yagah V”amal B”Torah. He worked assiduously and with great effort at the study of Torah. We recently saw a movie where people envisioned Heaven. Jokingly one person said- It’s like when you want a Mountain Dew, you don’t even have to do anything to get it. You just think of it and you’re quenched.
Well, I don’t think that’s Ariel’s version of Gan Eden. I think he is still working and struggling at Torah. As to whether he is immediately quenched or he actually drinks that tall glass of cold water – I will have to see for myself. I do know that the best way we can honor him is to devote this day to learning Torah in his memory, and to walk that extra mile every day still talking Torah.