The Eighth Annual Ariel Avrech ZT’L Memorial Lecture will take place Sunday, June 5, 2011, at 10 AM at the Young Israel of Century City, followed by brunch.
Young Israel of Century City
9317 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90035
We are pleased to announce that Yossi Klein Halevi will deliver this year’s lecture: What Is Expected of a Survivor People: Lessons My Father Taught Me.
World-renowned journalist and author Yossi Klein Halevi will address the following questions: What would today’s Jewish world look like from the perspective of a Holocaust survivor? Where have we as a people succeeded and where have we failed? For the first time in his life, Yossi Klein Halevi will confront this challenge from a very personal viewpoint — the worldview of his father, a Holocaust survivor.
Yossi Klein Halevi is an author and journalist based in Jerusalem and a fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute. He is a contributing editor to The New Republic and a frequent commentator on Middle East affairs, contributing to the opinion pages of the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and other publications.
Our speaker has personal connections to our family that enhance the meaning of this event. Two years ago, Offspring #3 married Yossi’s maternal nephew.
In addition, Yossi and Robert attended the same high school, Brooklyn Talmudic Academy.
We look forward to seeing all our friends and relatives at the lecture.
There is no better way of honoring Ariel’s memory than by participating in this memorial.
If you cannot attend in person, Seraphic Secret will post a video of the lecture.
May Ariel’s neshama have an aliyah.
Karen and I wish all our friends and relatives a lovely and inspiring Shabbat.
Ariel Chaim Avrech, ZT'L, May His Righteous Memory be a Blessing.
10 Comments
Robert,
I bumped into your blog by accident and am since glued to it. I simply find myself being so at home with your story. You’re practically double my age but I still am fascinated, hopefully we can meet sometime. I too lost a son though at a younger age. I also lived in Midwood Faltbush, went to Yeshiva in Boro Park. I remember waiting every day for the B68 at Ave I and Coney Island Ave, after switching from the B11, I’m talking the late 80’s early 90’s so you probably don’t even know what a B68 is. Yeshiva of Flatbush’s main entrance was on E 10 but they added and extended so they had entrance on Coney Island too. The kids had their own city bus waiting for them at 4pm since they took up a whole bus anyway so I would join them sometimes. Boy was I embarrassed by their behavior. Forget the boy/girl inappropriate behavior (don’t forget we’re talking the 90’s)
When you mention how you walked to Ave O Jewish center with your friends hoping to meet Karen, that was childhood memories too since my cousins Bar Mitzva was there… oh yeah, the old Shul, wooden walls with the big lobby…
Your son Ariel A”H looks so Aidle and Erlich… My heart goes out for you. This is not easy stuff. My wife and I decided very soon after our loss that the only way we can deal with this is to try and blank it out as much as we can and move on.. We cannot go there, neither try to understand it, nor analyze it or explain it, as much as we are Mameenim, it simply doesn’t work.. We hit a dead end and we are traumatized. We quickly realized that since it’s against nature for a child to go before a parent, it’s not something the human will be able to deal with rationally.
Be well and stay strong
Hamokom Yenhachem Oisunu.
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Rena:
Earnestly wish that you could join us for the lecture, but we do understand. I’ll take lots of pictures and post them to Facebook.
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Thomas:
I was deeply moved by the tribute you wrote for your mother. She sounds like an amazing woman. And Mr. Feder sounds equally amazing. That we inspired this loving tribute is a great honor. Very kind of you to include the link. You are welcome to attend if you have the time.
BTW, your children are a-dorable.
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Bill:
One day we hope to meet you in person. Though I have to confess, I feel like I know you pretty darn well becaus we have been carrying on a multi-thread conversation for several years now.
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Thomas:
There are many Jewish traditions for memorializing loved ones. This is the method we have chosen. Thanks so much for your kind words.
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Eight years??!!! It doesn’t sound like the incident with the dog should have bene that long ago.
I didn’t know that Yossi Klein Halevi was connected to Rabbi Singer’s family.
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Unfortunately, I have a prior commitment – being in my home in Israel that day. I look forward to the video, and don’t forget to scan and linger on the audience – especially family members.
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You inspired me to write a tribute to my mom on my blog. I tell of how much my mom and Mr. Feder, a Holocaust survivor, meant to me. (This will make sense when you read the story.)
I’ve also included a link at the end to your Memorial Lecture for Ariel, with a special thanks for your inspiration.
http://nocode7.blogspot.com/2011/05/remembering-my-my-mom-and-mr-feder.html
Thomas
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I was hoping I could make it last year and unfortunately June 5 I have a commitment. Looking forward to the video.
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What wonderful parents you are to an obviously wonderful son!
Is this a Jewish tradition, or one your family started? In Japan, family, relatives and friends gather on certain anniversaries of the passing of a loved one. (I believe the first, third, seventh, 13th, 17th, 25th … anniversaries.)
I look forward to watching the video! Please take care.
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