Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

Sunday June 7 marked twenty-one years on the English calendar since my father passed away. His Yahrzeit is 23 Sivan, which falls out next week on Sunday night through Monday.

My dad, Ruben Morrison, experienced a difficult childhood. He was one of six brothers and was removed with four of his siblings to foster care by the protection services of the time in the Bronx back in the 1930's. Much of his childhood was spent watching over his younger brothers. He lost a genuine childhood and served as a parental figure.

While studying and working in the Boston area, he met and married my mother, Helen.

They raised four children. I am the second oldest and the older of two boys. My sisters are the oldest and youngest of the four siblings.

As a young child, I loved my dad, but I feared him too. Not appreciating the challenges he faced in his early years, I would be scared of his lack of patience when he tried to help me with school work, or when he asked me to help him out. Truth be told, my dad was mechanically inclined, and I am not.

Suddenly, in my late teenage years, my father became not only my teacher, but my best friend and confidante. I understood him better and appreciated how much he overcame to be a husband and a father. At one time, I had a part time job near his office. Like two buddies, we would meet for lunch or get together after working hours.

An observant Jew, my dad had little formal Jewish education. When I asked about going to public high school after eight years of Jewish day school, he refused. As long as he could afford it, he was determined that all four children would receive a formal Jewish day school education through high school, and we did.

My father was a life long Zionist. He had trained on a Hachshara farm in New Jersey soon after the founding of the State of Israel. While that dream did not materialize, he visited Israel once with our entire family for the occasion of my Bar Mitzvah. In a way, it was his Bar Mitzvah too.

Parshat Bhaalotcha begins with the Kohen serving as a shamash, lighting the Menorah for those around him to benefit from its spiritual light. So too, my dad, Reuven ben Moshe V'Chaya, provided the light of his wisdom and guidance not only for his family but everyone with whom he interacted.

May the soul of my father, teacher, and friend be bound in the bond of life eternal.

His loving son,

Howard Morrison