Condolences to the Moffie Family

On behalf of the Chabad Center of Sudbury we express our deepest condolences to the entire family of Micky Moffie and especially to her two children Gary & Nancy and their families. I only got to know Micky one year ago, but it turned out to a be a very long and special year. We celebrated her Bat Mitzvah together at the age of 83 along with many of her friends and relatives, enjoyed many special events and occasions, and was inspired by her love of life and the way she lived each day to the maximum.

May the soul of Mickie Moffie (Mindel Bas Yackov) be bound up in eternal life and may her family be comforted among the mourners of Zion & Jerusalem. 

My Eulogy for Mickey Moffie March 24th 2010 – 9th of Nissan 5770

Dear Nancy & Gary and your families,

Today is a difficult and sad day for all of you as we accompany Mickey on her last journey. For myself too I find it difficult to be standing here being part of an event I never wanted to be part of.

I have known Mickey for what seems like a long time, but in truth it was just under a year. I met Mickey just one year ago at the Wingate Nursing Home in Sudbury at the Passover Seder which I was conducting. Her smile and her sense of humor were visible right from the first moment I met her, and I recall how in the middle of the Seder when I asked the crowd which page we should turn, and Micky promptly responded with her wit “to the last page in the book”.

This was my first experience with Mickey and how I came to know her.

During many subsequent visits in the Wingate and later on when Mickey moved to the Wayside Hospice we developed a very close relationship in which we would talk, share ideas, share Jewish songs, and talk about life, family, and Judaism together.

Mickey loved her family tremendously, and always spoke so lovingly about her children and their spouses and her grandchildren. She kvelled with Nachas when speaking of her grandchildren and their various accomplishments, and would always update me with the latest Nachas. One of the items she showed me was a very simple plastic Mickey Mouse bracelet from Disney World that one of her grandchildren had bought her years ago, and she had worn it ever since as a sign of her affection of her grandchildren.

Mickey had a very strong Jewish life, and her identity was as strong as you can get even in her last year and her last days. Several months ago Mickey expressed interest in celebrating a Bat Mitzvah that she had never had as a child, and so we began to prepare for a Bat Mitzvah that would be a little different but very unique. We prepared some readings and songs for this wonderful event being planned by her children and spent many weeks going over the materials. Mickey worked hard and prepared the Shema, multiple Jewish Songs and Prayers and ended up having a most moving and special Bat Mitzvah celebration with so many special friends, and her close family. Her pride and Jewish identity were vivid, powerful and tangible during those touching moments of that celebration and will be forever remembered by all the participants.

I would like to share a two more memories that I had with Mickey which I feel touch the core of who she was and what her identity was. Several months ago when we were planning different songs and prayers for the Bat Mitzvah, I was going over a few for her and singing some to her to see which ones she would like to use. One song which I sang is a very old short Jewish Prayer called “Modeh Ani”, which is a very old traditional Jewish prayer that we say in the morning when we wake up, to thank G-d for giving us back our soul and giving us another day to live.  I asked her if she knew it, and she told me “no”. So I then  sang it to her, and she sat up and told me “that this song she would hear every morning from her grandmother when sitting on her lap as a child as she would sing to her the morning blessings and the Modeh Ani”. It was amazing to see how this powerful Jewish prayer of appreciating each day of life was so etched in her mind and soul.

One more memory which took place only several days ago during my last actual conversation with her, which took place two Friday’s before she passed away. At the time she seemed weak, very passive and was lying back on the bed. We spoke a little and we spoke of the Seder that she wanted to join us for once again this year, and then I said why don’t we practice some Passover songs. So I started to sing Dayeniu and Oseh Shalom, and all of a sudden she came to life as her face filled with energy , and with a huge smile she began to sing together the Dayeniu and the Oseh Shalom.

It was moments such as these that will remain with me as I think how despite how she felt and her state of weakness, she still came to life when it came to her Jewish life, her Jewish songs and prayers, and when she had the ability to express them.

There is a famous Jewish saying “VeHachai Yitein El Libo”, which mean that “the living will take to heart”. As we stand here today and reflect on her life and mourn Mickey’s passing. We must use her life as a source of inspiration to strengthen our lives, to strengthen the way we connect to meaning in our lives, to learn from her love of each day and the way she hardly ever complained, from her love of her family, and finally to learn from the strong and passionate way that she always connected with her Jewish identity.

In Judaism we believe the soul’s life is eternal, thus Mickey’s soul will continue to live on in another place and the actions we do in this world continue to impact her soul. I know that Mickey will continue to have lots of Nachas and Kvelling to do and won’t be short changed by her family.

Next week when  Mickey’s family are having the Seder,  Mickey will be joining them in singing Dayeniu and the “Mah Nishtanah” from a different place and a different world.

May the soul of Mindel Bas Yackov and Dinya rest in peace and Tehei  Nishmata Tzerura Bitzror Hacayaim in the bond of eternal life.