Community Magazine January 2019

S P E C I A L C OMM E MO R A T I V E I S S U E TEVET - SHEVAT 5779 JANUARY 2019 39 Dedicated in loving memory of Shmuel ben Celia , a"h test their acumen stringently. The Rabbi often spoke of Hacham Yaakov Ades, Hacham Shalom Hedaya (his grandfather), Hacham Ovadia Hedaya (his uncle), and many more holy Giants. In 1932, Hacham Shaul’s father, Hacham Yaakov, left his family to visit America to raise much needed funds for the desperate children at the orphanage he grew up in. Upon his arrival in New York, the community recognized his great Torah knowledge, sterling character, and wonderful pleasant ways, and immediately requested that he stay and be their Chief Rabbi. Of course, his wife, family, and heart were back in Yerushalayim . He refused. He continued traveling to collect funds for the children, making many stops afterwards to Mexico City and other South American communities. At each stop hewas receivedwith joy and acceptance, and a plea for leadership. Upon his return to the Holy Land, Hacham Yaakov continued to receive letters and requests to serve as Chief Rabbi. He was perplexed, and pondered the idea that this may be his calling after all. Under the advice and with the blessings of his father-in- law, Rabbi Shalom Hedaya, and all the great scholars surrounding him, he took his Rebbetzin and four young children, Rabbi Shaul Kassin, Charlotte Ben Haim (wife of Hacham Baruch Ben Haim, zt”l ), Albert, and Isaac, and left Yerushalayim for the two-week ship voyage to New York. They were greeted with a major celebration and heartfelt welcome. Rabbi Yaakov Kassin, zt”l , came to us in 1933, rich with ideas for a budding group of immigrants with dreams of success and potential for greatness. He expertly guided, taught, and learned with us. He was loved and revered for a century by all who met him. When he passed away 24 years ago, his son, Hacham Shaul was charged with leading a larger, more religious-minded group. They were established and exposed, smart and savvy. This was quite a different challenge. Rabbi Yaakov dealt with the building of a new community, while Rabbi Shaul saw the fruits - but how does one deal with prosperity, in religion, business, technology, and so many other aspects? Ohev Shalom v’ Rodef Shalom His son Jakie explains, “My father had real care and concern for people. He saw where they were coming from and was never prejudiced. He did not react. He would concentrate and think. He had full control of his actions and speech, always. Each word was thought out and carefully considered. He had a gift of seeing inside people, to where the goodness and pureness lay, and speak to it. He would teach us, ‘How do you eat an orange or a banana? You have to peel it first. It is the same with people. Peel away the outer layers and search for the fruit.’” Jakie continues, “He believed in putting yourself in people’s shoes to understand them and to get them to see things your way. He’d say, ‘Ask yourself, what’s stopping them? What are they worried about? What are they thinking about? You cannot know why a person does what he does unless you can see and feel what he is seeing and feeling.’ So many of us struggle with this, but he did not. He felt their joy and pain, and he was able to recognize their plight. This was one of his greatest strengths.” Saul A. Kassin recalls a clear example of this trait. “In the summer of 2013, one Shabbat I stayed by my parents in Deal, NJ. My grandparents, Rabbi Shaul Kassin and Rabbanit Frieda, stayed by my parents every summer. On Motzaei Shabbat , I was awake, while everyone else was sleeping. I began to hear crying and weeping. I knew all the children were sleeping, so I followed the sounds, coming from the study right outside Rabbi Shaul Kassin’s bedroom.  “From a few feet away, I saw my grandfather sitting on the floor crying and weeping, bitterly mourning the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash . I stood there in awe and fear for over 30 minutes as he cried Tikkun Hasot for the loss of the Holy Shechina and our Holy Ralph Tawil and Hacham Shaul dancing with the Torah in Israel.