This morning on his 79th birthday, our dear friend and congregant at ChabadSudbury passed away surrounded by his family.
We are all in shock and so saddened at his sudden demise, especially as earlier this week, he was at the daily Minyan at Chabad of Sudbury through Tuesday morning.
We were chatting after the morning prayers as we had our coffee on Tuesday morning, and today he has returned his soul to his maker.
Mel had been coming for the last few years to the morning Minyan as well as the Monday night class and other events, and quickly became close with so many of the regulars. He was so well liked and respected and people love to chat and learn with him.
His love for Judaism and Yiddishkiet, his dedication to making sure there was a Minyan so that people could say Kaddish even when it was brutally cold, along with his love for learning a piece of Talmud or Jewish law, said so much about what he valued and held dear.
On Tuesday he showed me a bruise on his hand which he hadn't put a bandaid on, as he was concerned that the Tefillin wouldn't end up being directly on his hand, and he wanted to know if it was okay to put a bandaid on. He loved to learn and understand the nuances of how and why we do something and had a lot of teachings and knowledge which he gave to so many.
He was born in Siberia to his parents who had fled the Nazi's and grew up in America, with no surviving relatives or grandparents, as they had all been murdered by the Nazi's.
He was a Vietnam veteran and felt strongly about giving back to this country that had been so welcoming to his family after the atrocities of the Holocaust.
He worked hard and built a big Kosher Catering Company in New Jersey and catered many thousands of weddings and Bar & Bat Mitzvah celebrations over the years.
He is survived by his wife Andrea, his daughters and their spouses and grandchildren.
The funeral will be held on Sunday morning at 8am in Temple Israel in Natick and he will be buried in Sharon. Shiva will take place in his home with morning and evening Minyans at 8am & 7:30pm.
Our family and all of his friends at ChabadSudbury are in shock and will miss him deeply. May his memory be a blessing and may his dear family be comforted among the mourners of Zion & Jerusalem.
May the Neshoma of Moshe Ben Yitzchak Yaakov rest in peace and be bound up in the bond of eternal life.
Baruch Dayan HaEmes
יהי זכרו בּרוך