Every name has a story. Every story has a light.
This Elul, as we prepare to be written in the Book of Life, we invite you to help write The Book of Light — a growing collection of names and memories that honor those we’ve loved who are no longer living. Every person is a light, and every gift matters. Inscribe your loved one’s name in the Book of Light for any gift amount, and add a message, photo, or additional content for a gift of $54 or more. Your tribute will become part of this legacy of love and light, blessing their memory and sustaining Kavod v’Nichum’s work of compassionate, communal care at the end of life.
Alan Shefsky
I am remembering my brother-in-law, Alan Shefsky z”l, who died in 2014 from a malignant brain tumor. Alan was a sweet, gentle, kind man, a loving son, brother and uncle, a beloved mentor to many generations of graduate students, and a prolific poet.
Here is one of this last poems:
Sarah has been teaching me love
she has been showing me
it is o.k. to be living as I AM
living.
I believe her love is a kind
of giving; it is a giving
of kindness.
And rhyme here gives me
(oops I meant leaving)
living and grieving.
Remembered by: Elizabeth Feldman
Ernesto Reich
I am remembering my maternal grandfather, Ernesto Reich. Unfortunately, I was still very young when he died, but I have since learned so much about his remarkable life. How he left Germany during the interwar period and created a new life in El Salvador. How his silent philanthropy changed the life of a Salvadoran family. How he was a robust and dedicated member of its small but mighty Jewish community. How his whirlwind romance with my grandmother saved her from Auschwitz. How he survived his third exile after being forced to leave his adopted country during its Civil War. He is the reason I am here, and I only wish I could have had more time.
Remembered by: Jessica Alpert
Solomon Laichter
This year, like every year, I’m remembering my father, Solomon Laichter. My dad was a smart, funny, introspective, and caring man. He believed in helping others, doing your best, and having a good time. I see him in me and in my kids, and I’ll miss him always.
Remembered by: Alison Laichter
Norma Lemberg
Mommy Norma was my dear grandmother. She wasn’t the baking cookies type of grandmother. She was a businesswoman and entrepreneur. She was the “giving advice about your 401 K grandmother!” She taught me a lot about surviving and thriving through hardship, change, and perseverance.
Remembered by: Julie Fisher
Bob Elkin
One of the hardest things about losing my dad is realizing how much of him is part of who I am. The way I love people, the way I show up, the things I value. I’m still grieving, so the words don’t always come easily, but I feel his influence every day.
Remembered by: Hannah Zollman
