01 Aug DREAMING BUT NOT SLEEPING

Nineteenth of Av 5776, August 23, 2016. Hard
to believe that it’s been seven years since the
petira, passing of my beloved Ima, Rebbetzin
Esther bas HaRav Avraham HaLevi a”h.
My mother was a larger than life personality.
The world knew her as “The Rebbetzin”. An
inspirational speaker and teacher. An
illustrious author, noted columnist, shadchan
to hundreds, and devoted shul rebbetzin. My
mother filled Madison Square Garden twice,
traveled the globe sharing words of Torah, and
met with presidents and world leaders. But to
us children, my mother was simply Ima.
Ima always knew what to say and how to say
it. She was always available with words of
advice and encouragement, and special tefillos
when needed.
How I miss sharing good news and hearing a
resounding “Mazel Tov!… Chasdei HaShem!”
Every visit, every phone call ended with
words of bracha. “Let me bentch you just one
more time, one more bracha.” Ima knew what
was in our heart and precisely what we needed
to hear.
Like generations of Yiddishe mamas before
her, my mother would say the words of Shema
Yisroel with us at night. When I became a

mommy, I held my little ones and softly said
the words of Shema to them. It was a nightly
ritual I continued until they were saying
Shema on their own. And then, magically, I
was once again saying Shema with my
grandchildren when I was on “babysitting
duty”.
Shema Yisroel, HaShem Elokeinu, HaShem
Echad!
Shema, the timeless pledge of our nation. Our
people’s cry throughout the ages. Words said
as part of davening in the morning and
evening. Shema, words said by parents with
their children at bedtime. Shema, words to
live by and words said when facing death.
Madison Square Garden 1973. An “Awakening
for the Jewish Soul.” Through her inspiring
message, my mother had the z’chus, merit to
touch so many neshamos. As the program
came to a close, a group of Yeshiva boys broke
out in a spontaneous song of Shema Yisroel.
Soon, thousands more joined. To this day,
when I meet people who were there – many
now in their sixties or seventies – they tell me
that it was an event that remains with them.
Fast forward, many years later. It was a few
weeks before my mother’s petira. Though
weak physically, my mother’s spirit was
strong. I remember Ima saying “I may be

dreaming, but I am not sleeping”. My mother
called to me, asking me to come with pen and
paper, and write down an important message,
a message that she wanted to share with Am
Yisroel.
My mother told me that she was thinking of a
mitzva that can unite all of the Jewish people.
Something that is doable for everyone, no
matter their background. My mother felt that
the words of Shema were something
attainable.
I share with you my mother’s words.
Many centuries ago, we all had a Zaydie.
Our Zaydie was the most amazing man. His
face shone like sunshine. His eyes sparkled
like two brilliant diamonds.
Our Zaydie was Yaakov Avinu – our father
Jacob. Zaydie Yaakov was so remarkable
that HaShem sent an angel to change his
name to Yisroel – Sar Kayl – a Minister of
G-d.
Time passed, and the day came when
HaShem sent a message to our Zaydie: It’s
time to come home, and join Him.
Zaydie Yisroel called for all of his children
and grandchildren to gather around him
before he embarked on his final journey. He
wanted to say something, but lacked the
strength to do so. But his sons could feel
what was in their Zaydie’s heart.. And so, in
unison, they cried out: SHEMA YISROEL
HASHEM ELOKEINU HASHEM ECHAD.
Their Shema Yisroel was so powerful that it
took on the form of the “Shema Yisroel
Tree”.
With time, a turbulent storm came and the
beautiful Shema Yisroel leaves that were
attached to the tree slowly but steadily
began falling and blowing all over the
world. But the leaves never forgot their
identity. Although the Shema Yisroel leaves
were trampled upon, swept away into the
oceans, and even burned by so many, no
one could take away their inner strength.
The eternal words of Shema Yisroel
remained forever attached to the dispersed
leaves. The song remained in their souls,
and ultimately the leaves found their way
back to the tree.
We, the Jewish people, sing the song of
Shema Yisroel. It takes us back to the days
of our father Yaakov. Even if we have
forgotten our past, Shema Yisroel helps us
reconnect, and HaShem promises us: Say
Shema and then the unbelievable will
happen – the tree will blossom again.
How true. The words of Shema never leave
us but are forever etched upon the Yiddishe
neshama.
During World War II, many Jewish children
were placed by their parents in Christian
orphanages, hoping that their lives would
be spared from the barbaric Nazis by
turning them over to non-Jewish guardians
for “safekeeping”. Sadly, their “protectors”

saw this as an opportunity to draw these
unsuspecting young children away from their
Jewish heritage.
Following the war, some children had
surviving parents; some had only distant
relatives, while others were left totally alone.
When relatives tried to retrieve their children,
it was to no avail. The priests and nuns in the
orphanages claimed that there weren’t any
Jewish children present, and the relatives
needed documentation – papers that didn’t
exist after the inferno of the Holocaust.
Deeply frustrated, the parents and relatives
turned to several prominent rabbis, pleading
with them to find a way to repossess their
children – children at risk of losing not only
their family but also their heritage.
Several rabbis were deeply moved by the
pleas of the relatives and devised plans to save
the children. In 1945, one of them, Rabbi
Eliezer Silver, who served as an American
army chaplain, went on a mission to rescue
the Jewish children from a monastery in
Alsace-Lorraine. But he too hit a stone wall,
with the priests denying the presence of
Jewish children.
The wise rabbi asked if he could return at
night, and the priest in charge reluctantly
agreed.
That night, when the children were in their
beds, Rabbi Silver entered the dorm room and
with much emotion called out “Shema Yisroel
HaShem Elokeinu HaShem Echad!”
All of a sudden, souls were awakened.
Children who were living as Christians
suddenly remembered mothers and
grandmothers who said Shema at night with
them. They came running out of their beds,
crying Mama! Mama!. Tears rolling down
their faces, they clung to Rabbi Silver.
Rabbi Silver knew how to reach their pure
souls. The power of a Yiddishe mama. The
power of Shema Yisroel.
It is no coincidence that this week, Parshas
Ekev, the week in which my mother left this
world, includes the second portion of the
Shema. My mother left a legacy behind. Say
Shema. If you already do, increase your
kavanna, concentration. Delve into its
meaning. Teach its words to someone who
doesn’t know it.
Shema – the power to bring back a nation.