Community Magazine September 2011

The untimely death of Frank Beda came on the heels of several tragedies that befell the Jewish Nation and around the start of the Three Weeks, the period of mourning for the destruction of the Bet Hamikdash. A beloved husband, father, friend, and community benefactor, Mr. Beda's sudden passing added yet another dimension to the grief and anguish sensed by our nation and community during this sorrowful period. When my wife and I heard the news of Frank’s untimely passing, we were shattered. Just two weeks before, we spoke by phone and he had extended to me a warm invitation to come visit him in his summer home. I just could not believe that Hashem had taken his precious neshama (soul) from this world. Over the years, I have enjoyed the great privilege to work with, and get to know Frank. He was an especially humble person, keeping his numerous acts of kindness largely unknown, even to those close to him. What follows is just a small glimpse into his generous, active and unique personality. From His Eulogies The Mishna in Pirkei Avot says that if a person is liked in this world, he will certainly be loved in the next. In this light we can understand the Gemara’s comment (Shabbat 153a) “From the eulogies of a person you can tell if he is has a share in the next world.” Several rabbis spoke at Frank’s funeral and during the shiva (seven days of mourning) extolling his character and virtues. Many others wrote about Frank’s many attributes and how much we can learn from them. From their words it is clear where his soul now rests. One young man told that when he got married, Frank gave him his car as a present. The young groom was amazed by Frank’s generosity, but naturally assumed that Frank was buying a new car anyway. As it turned out, however, he did not purchase another car for eight months, and in the interim he rode the bus! Another time, Frank heard of someone without any family who was sitting shiva in a non-Jewish neighborhood. Frank decided to become that man’s “substitute family.” He invited him to sit shiva in his own home and made sure people came every day to pray and spend time with him. Frank was staunchly dedicated to the hinuch (education) of not only his own children, but also of every Jewish child. One of Frank’s boys’ rabbis wrote, “As a rebbi in the heder (boy’s elementary school) I had quite a number of opportunities to converse with Frank. I was greatly impressed with his devotion to his children and how much it meant to him that they should be filled and engrossed in Torah, and that their actions should be directed by yirat shamayim (fear of Heaven) and to find favor in the eyes of Hashem.” The Best of Both Worlds Frank firmly believed that the energy and enthusiasm of the business world should be applied to the Bet Midrash . One young man wrote, “One summer, Shabetai came to learn in the kollel. It was so exhilarating to learn with him. His questions were probing and dynamic. Our learning became so crystal clear; it was clearly delights from heaven that we were privileged to taste. He brought us joy and happiness.” For a newborn gift, instead of baby items, Frank would give Torah books. One recipient said, “I did not understand the value of this until four years after my eldest son was born. I pulled the books Ko Asu Hachameinu [a series of story books about Torah leaders] off the shelf and read the stories about the rabbis to my son! What an awesome and thoughtful gift that has immeasurable value. Such was the greatness of his actions – in the way of Torah.” Frank was a rare individual who had one foot firmly planted in the olam haTorah (the world of Torah), and the other in business. He lived a life of integrity and was particularly distressed when he heard that a Torah observant Jew had been involved in business fraud. Frank was especially careful when it came to the halachot of Hoshen Mishpat (the Torah’s code of civil law) and made it his goal to sanctify Hashem’s name through his scrupulous honesty in all his business dealings. FRANK BEDA     B ecause of his great humility and the quiet and unassuming way he set about undertaking hesed projects, the full magnitude of loss to our community and the Jewish nation at large, after the tragic and sudden passing of Mr. Frank beda, Shabetai ben batya a.h., has yet to be fully recognized. Rabbis, dignitaries, and ordinary individuals who were beneficiaries of Mr. beda’s gen- erosity – and more importantly, his friendship – continue to come forward with unre- served praise for a man who touched so many lives. one such distinguished friend of Mr. beda is Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis, Rosh Yeshiva of Torat Haim in Jerusalem, newspaper columnist and author of many books. The sentiments expressed by Rab- bi Travis are echoed by a seemingly endless list of those who will sorely miss a man who exemplified the laudable maxim of saying little and doing much. The Humble Benefactor RABBI DANIEL YAAKOV TRAVIS AMan of Action and Feeling 28 Community magazine