Today was the Second Annual Ariel Avrech Memorial Lecture.
Rabbi David Fohrman used the story of Joseph and his brothers to explore the notion of forgiveness; The question he posed was whether forgiveness is possible when someone has done something absolutely horrible to you. How can you forgive an egregious injustice? He essentially proved that that by acknowledging the very imbalance in a relationship head-on, you can repair the damage but by denying the hurt you caused, or denying the pain you feel, the relationship never can recover. Rabbi Fohrman engaged the audience in a real Socratic give and take. As soon as I can I will set up a link so you can purchase this amazing talk directly from Rabbi Fohrman.
It was a bittersweet day for Karen and me. We distributed the Book of Ariel at the lecture. We met old friends, made new friends and silently celebrated our 28th anniversary.
I leave for Oakland tomorrow morning where I’ve been asked to deliver a talk about “The Hebrew Kid and the Apache Maiden” to the American Association of Jewish Librarians. When I return I will blog more about the lecture and post some pictures.
Karen adds: Ariel hand picked Rabbi Fohrman for us. He had attended his lectures and knowing our taste, passed on several of his tapes to us. He was right. I loved Rabbi Fohrman’s analysis of the Ten Commandmants and The Story of Adam and Eve.
Years passed. When the time came to choose a lecturer for this year I racked my brain to remember the name of the lecturer that Ariel told me about who also was a professor at Johns Hopkins. I went through his hundreds of tapes. This was a task I had avoided since his death. None of the tapes rang a bell. I used an old trick of going through the alphabet before I went to sleep, sort of counting sheep, hoping to toggle some circuit in the old memory bank. Nothing worked. Finally, one night I beseeched Ariel, saying, “Please, do your old mother a favor, tell me the name of the rabbi you liked so much, you know, the one with the sophisticated, but frum world view.”
Then it came to me. Coincidentally, that week, the name was confirmed. Rabbi Fohrman was writing a column in the Jewish Press, and his e-mail and all his contact information was now available to us.
Such was providence.
The lecture was a success and a wonderful tribute to Ariel. As we dropped Rabbi Fohrman off for his return flight I broke into tears thinking how much Ariel would have enjoyed getting closer to Rabbi Fohrman as we did today. Nothing makes sense in the face of Ariel’s absence.
Because we have received so many requests for The Book of Ariel, Karen and I have decided to offer it for sale on this site at a very reasonable price. The book is incredibly expensive to produce but we just want to make it possible for us to print more copies. Keep your eyes open and in the next few days you will be able to order the book here on Seraphic Secret. We will not be able to distribute it through bookstores, the economics are brutal for a book like this. Thanks so much
I remember Ariel quite well from Yeshiva. I was wondering if you thought of selling the book in Baltimore?
Just as an aside…I really enjoyed Rabbi Fohrman's lecture on forgiveness. But there was one question I never had the opportunity to ask. He discussed whether or not an evil act could be forgiven and the steps that were necessary for this to happen. It was determined that forgiveness "could" take place, but my question is this…"should" an evil act be forgiven? Just curious if anyone else has an opinion about this.
I, too, had the honor of attending the Ariel Avrech Memorial Lecture. What a tribute to a young man who so obviously touched so many in his very short life.The Avrech’s are generous, gentle people, who even through their pain, are willing to share with others. There is no greater injustice than the death of a child. Just waking up each day is an incredible feat. So for the Avrech’s to have created Seraphic Press and it’s beautiful publications,and the Memorial Lecture is truly an inspiration to all of us.
Let me say, if I can, that I am an outsider to the Avrech family’s world. I did not know Ariel, I did not know his family or friends or community.
But with this book in hand one in fact does know Ariel.
I’m almost certain that the Avrechs believe the book doesn’t even pay ENOUGH justice to who Ariel was and what he represented. But if any one of us would be described and honored by even a fraction of how Ariel’s persona was painted, we’d be very lucky people.
The book is a keter, a crown, to his good name, to his good deeds, and to the people who stood behind and around him.
P.S. Not a good idea to read the book before you go to sleep at night. I did, and my mind just kept churning, and my heart just kept breaking…
I also wish that I could have been in town to attend the lecture. I actually saw Rabbi Fohrman speak for a Shavuot lecture last week – he's a good choice. Very friendly and dynamic person. I know that it must have been a very emotional time. I would also love to read your book of Ariel. It must be a very precious read.
all the best,
Rachel
Thanks so much for your kind and generous note. Karen and I were not planning on distributing the Book of Ariel outside of friends and family but so many requests have come in asking to buy the book that we have decided to make a limted supply available to Seraphic Secret readers. Keep an eye on the blog for information about buying the book.
I am seriously thinking of giving up my work as a rocket scientist and perhaps writing a screenplay or maybe a novel. Thanks for the encouragement.
Robert-I have been reading your website for months now, and am brought to tears each time. Your family, and the thoughts of Ariel, constantly inspire me to do more, do better, make each day count.
I look forward to each new blog so much so that i do not check it every day-I like to read as many as possible and am always left wanting more… You should really look into a career in writing 🙂
One question, Is The Book of Ariel available to those not at the lecture? I hope that question is not an invasion of your family's privacy…
Waiting with baited breath, eager ears and an open heart….
I really wish I had been with you guys for the lecture. You were in my thoughts all day. Happy anniversary to a wonderful couple. Antoine and I send our love.
The poem is beautiful. Karen and I are grateful for your generous contribution.
I am more than honored to have my poem "Seraphic Vision" included in The Book of Ariel, although I never knew nor met this extremely bright, gentle, sweet and upstanding-in-Torah-ways young man named Ariel Chaim Avrech. I hope that your friends, family and community members who knew him and read my words will truly be able to say, "She depicted Ariel perfectly."
May Ariel's neshama have an aliya and may we continue to learn from his legacy….
I read about this lecture and Ariel is in my thoughts. If I was able to I would have physically attended the lecture……
The Book of Ariel is a memorial, a collection of essays and remebrances about our son Ariel, who died two years ago.
What is the "Book of Ariel"?
As I devour "The Book of Ariel", I'm pained that I did not know Ariel. I'm pained with guilt that even though I didn't know him, nonetheless, I should have gone to visit him. I hid behind my anonymous quiches and kugels. I'm sad at how much I would have gained having known him, but missed the opportunity.
Rabbi Fohrman was wonderful. I bought a CD after the lecture and already sent it out to Eitan for him to hear.
May Ariel's neshama continue to have an aliya, although I can't imagine that He isn't at the highest point already.