Honoring the Fallen

This Table Talk is dedicated to the memory of my father, Dennis Seinfeld (Dovid ben Eliezer), who died suddenly a year ago tomorrow (on the Jewish calendar).

What do you do in memory of a loved one? Well, one of the simplest things to do is to light a 24-hour candle (available at many grocery stores in the kosher section) beginning just before sunset the day before the yartzeit.

But there is something even more important than lighting a yarzeit candle.

My brother Keith, who lives in Seattle, said at the stone-setting ceremony this week:

When we live according to my dad’s values, we are honoring and perpetuating his legacy.
When we go out of our way to help someone, we honor and perpetuate his legacy.
When we forgive someone a minor insult or injury, we honor and perpetuate his legacy.
When we take the extra time to get a project “just right”, we honor and perpetuate his legacy.
When we show respect for all human beings, we honor and perpetuate his legacy.
When we give our time and money charitably, we honor and perpetuate his legacy.
When we enjoy life and help others enjoy life, we honor and perpetuate his legacy.

For your table: Do you have a loved one who passed away? What is something you do to honor and perpetuate their legacy?

I would like to thank everyone who has honored my father and family this past year as we have mourned him (and more recently my maternal grandmother). Having this world-wide community of friends via the internet is something my father, a world-traveler, would have relished and found as uplifting as I do. Thank you for your kindness, love and support.

Shabbat Shalom.