Community Magazine January 2019

Remember i ng Ch i ef Rabb i , Hacham Shau l Kass i n, z t ” l 52 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE In 1999, we took down our old house on Ocean Parkway to build a new home. Rabbi Shaul Kassin came to bless our new home. He wrote a kemia for us, put it in a jar, and placed it inside the foundation after the contractor poured the concrete. Here he is (see photo above) with my son Saul Cattan during that day. Since then, I have this picture in my office on the mantle behind my desk. Ezra Jack Cattan Approximately 65 years ago, my father was playing in the snowwith his friends, and Hacham Shaul saw them and asked them to pick up as much snow as they can carry and follow him. They did not understand why he wanted them to do this, but they still complied. They went inside some kind of basement, placed the snow in an area that looked sort of like a pool, and kept bringing snow back until it was filled. For many years, it was a mystery what that was all about. When my father got older, and he learned about the laws of taharat hamishpahah , he understood that this snow was brought to make a mikveh, and he realized how much dedication went into this project. While everyone was trying to earn a living and get settled in the United States, the hacham was worried about maintaining family purity in our holy community. Rabbi David Shelby of Magen David Yeshiva Last year, during Hanukah, 5778, one of my cousins thought it would be a wonderful idea to get our whole family together for a Hanukah party. There was not enough time to plan for it last year, so he put a reminder in his calendar for this year, two months before Hanukah, to start planning. This year, when the reminder came, he started preliminary planning for the event, but then he was forced to stop, as he was busy caring for our grandfather, Hacham Shaul Kassin, whose health was deteriorating. Unfortunately, our grandfather did not make it to Hanukkah 5779, and passed away the day before. However, our grandfather indeed liked this idea of the family getting together, but not just for one night – but rather ALL eight days. This Hanukah, 5779, our entire family, of ( beli ayin hara ) almost 300 people, spent the entire holiday of Hanukah together as one big family during our grandfather’s shiva week. Saul A. Kassin, grandson of Hacham Shaul About 10 years ago, I was involved in a car accident that was very traumatic for me. I was very shaken up. A friend of mine who is related to Hacham Shaul Kassin called him and told him about the accident. Within minutes, the Hacham was at my door to give me words of comfort, and to teach me a berachah to say to show my appreciation that I was ok and that everyone was alive. I thought it was amazing that the Chief Rabbi of our community was able to just come by my house on such short notice to comfort me, someone he didn’t even know, just because his grandchild had asked him to. He also told me to say a berachah whenever I pass the spot where the accident happened: “Baruch she’asah li ness bamakom hazeh” (“Blessed is He who performed a miracle for me at this place”). The rabbi mademe realize that it wasn’t a tragedy, but rather a miracle that everyone was alive and would be fine. REFLECTIONS Classic Tales and Quotes from Family and Community Members Classic Tales Hacham Shaul with Saul Cattan in 1999. Hacham Shaul Lighting the menorah in 2016.