Community Magazine April 2019

LAKEWOOD . 1328 RIVER AVENUE . 732.605.GOWN BROOKLYN . 4512 13TH AVENUE . 718.972.GOWN EVENING GOWNS FOR YOUR SPECIAL OCCASION adar II - nissan 5779 april 2019 43 Edmond’s Commitment to Pray Despite Illness Edmond became very sick eight months before he passed away. The first two weeks in the hospital Edmond was very distressed that he wasn’t able to attend shul and pray each day. His brother, Rabbi Jack Bassoul, brought him a siddur and he was so relieved. Finally, Edmond was able to pray to his Creator again. No matter what, the siddur stayed with him. Edmond made sure that even as he was being transferred to the ICU, that siddur came too. His family did their best to visit him every single day whether he was in the hospital or a nursing home. The family members quickly found a common thread: the nurses, doctors, and orderlies loved him. They would assure Edmond’s family not to worry, to go home, he was in good hands. They were happy to care for this man who offered his warm smile through all his suffering. Edmond was such a special soul, who has never breathed a word of lashon hara in his life, and never hurt anyone. He lifted people up with his joy, and helped them out along the way. He was a true tzadik in our time. Although he did not have children, his legacy will live on through his family, whom he inspired, and continues to inspire, every day. Valuable Lesson With Pesach just ahead of us, we think about our redemption from slavery. Here we can take home a special lesson from Edmond. He was, in a way, enslaved by the challenge of Down syndrome. But, Gd redeemed him by helping him to overcome his limitations in a significant way. This, combined with his own hishtadlut (hard work) enabled Edmond to be zoche to become a treasured member of his community. Yihyeh zichro baruch. We can all take a lesson from this man’s love and devotion to the Torah and all of its precious mitzvot.