Au revoir Madame Shulamit,
May your crossing to the light be a good one, may family members that you missed be there waiting to embrace you and receive you in their midst. May you reconnect to your husband, our Rabbi, Rabbi Jacob, and send him our regards. Please tell him that we still recite the Kiddush every Friday night in the way that he taught us.
Chere Shulamit, we were at your funeral yesterday. All your children were there, united and strong. People from your past in France, your past in Athens and present in Jerusalem had gathered to say their goodbyes to you in the Sephardi cemetary of Jerusalem.
Your daughter Lea spoke on behalf of your children, and read to us excerpts of letters you had written to her in your distinct, French with Greek and Hebrew intertwined in a language of sorts that only you spoke and wrote.
It was the language we spoke with you, French with Hebrew and Greek as our family understood this language too!
An old friend from your Bnei Akiva group spoke of your hospitality. Of your open house, where Jews from all corners of the world found a warm, welcoming home, and a Shabbat celebration in Athens.
Elias and I had been to a few of those Shabbbatot when living in Athens and so was Sylvia Messina, Elias’ mother. Thank you for taking care of so many people. Of sharing your beautiful family and home-hospitality with us!
Your home was open to all sorts of people as your heart was open to all sorts of people too. You had room for people of different faiths, room for different kinds of people, for observant and non-observant, for singles and couples, for young and old, for weirdos, for lonely people, for seekers, researchers and what not…
You always made us feel at home at your home, and always made room for more.
On Purim, I would call you and come by your Jerusalem home only a block away from mine, to pick you up for our traditional Purim celebration at my synagogue. You were always open to join our community on Purim with its fun songs and costume showing, and enjoyed that Judaism was so much fun and present in our lives in Jerusalem.
Goodbye Chere Shulamit,
You were a blessing to your family, your friends and your communities in France, Greece and Israel. Your children, David, Lea, Ilana and Avi and your grandchildren carry on the blessing in their respective countries, communities, and homes.
Au revoir.
From Jerusalem with love,
Yvette Nahmia-Messinas
I AM SO TOUCHED TO READ YOUR LETER YVETE FOR THE MEMORY OF MY DEAR SHULAMIT ARAR. YOU MADE ME CRY, THANK YOU
Thank you Nina! Much love, Yvette