Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

This past Sunday, I attended a funeral and an unveiling not as a rabbi but as "Howie" Morrison. At 11am, I went on livestream to watch the funeral service for my childhood rabbi, Rabbi Yehuda Kelemer. I wrote about him in my previous blog. Needless to say, he had an influence on my life. He was a humble scholar, a mentch, and a Tzaddik in our time.

Two hours later, at 1pm, I participated via Zoom the double unveilings for my Aunt Billie and her eldest son Matthew. Some may recall my story. Aunt Billlie was my mother's best childhood friend. Our two families grew with each other. The kids of the two families were like siblings to each other. For many years after my parents' deaths, Aunt Billie's home became the Boston home for me and my boys. My virtual older brother Matt died in the Summer of 2019. My Aunt Billie died in late November of 2019. Sadly, I attended and participated in both funerals. 

I am grateful for the social media platforms we have today which enabled me to virtually attend both services on Sunday. Strangely, before Covid, would these ceremonies have been broadcast for people around the world to attend? With gratitude, how many of us have attended lifecycle ceremonies happy and sad from around the world during the last ten months?

In this week's Parsha of Vaera, Moses enlists Aaron to bring on the first three plagues from God. Why not Moses? The waters of the earth had earlier saved a baby Moses. He had to be grateful to the land itself. As a result, Moses could not smite the water or the land to bring on these plagues. With sadness of what inevitably had to be, Moses was also grateful for the kindnesses which had been bestowed upon him in life.

With my own personal sadness, I am grateful for the social media platforms which enabled me to attend a funeral and unveilings.

With my own personal sadness, I am grateful to have known and will always remember my childhood rabbi, my aunt (my mom's best friend), and one of my very best friends, whom I considered as my older brother.

Yhi Zichram Baruch - May their memories be a blessing.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Howard Morrison