Unveiling

Audio recording

Below is an audio recording of the words spoken at the unveiling. First speaker is Rabbi Zeev Smason. Then Yosh Mantinband spoke on behalf of their children (text below), followed by closing words from Rabbi Smason.

Yosh's speech at unveiling

Mom & Dad,

As I stand here today before your graves I am overwhelmed with memories. Memories and regrets. Why didn’t I make an effort to see you one more time when there still was time? Why didn’t I tell you what you meant to me while you could still hear me? Why didn’t I tell you I love you more often? Why wasn’t I at your bedside when the time came for you to return your holy souls to G-d?

Regrets matter little now. As you would say, Dad – life marches on. And my memories comfort me. Your undying love for me and all of us continues to give me and us solace. And my memories of how you lived your lives give me inspiration.

You lived humbly and dedicated your lives to the values you believed in. Primary on that list was family. Your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren topped that list. But it extended to all family and cousins, no matter how distant. In Hebrew, the word for “relative” is “karov” – which literally means “near”. You kept relatives near to you, no matter how far away they lived or how distant the relationship.

Your caring for others didn’t stop with family. You both reached out to help others, whether through your organizational affiliations, such as Hadassah, the synagogue and its various helping programs, or through your own private efforts. If you saw someone who needed help – whether they needed a hot meal, caring for their young children, or an invitation for seder night, you didn’t think twice. Helping others was built in to your DNA. It was another of your primary values that inspire me and, I believe all of your offspring, throughout all the generations that I have merited to see so far.

We’re gathered here today to honor your memories and the values for which you stood. The monument that we are dedicating today is but one part of that. It stands as a lasting memorial to your lives and gives a place for us and your descendants to visit and remember you. Not that we need to be here to remember you, of course. Your lessons and the example you set suffuse our lives.

In addition, we, your children, have decided to create a fund that will continue to help others in your fashion and in your memory. We hope many others will join us in contributing to the fund to increase the reach of that living memorial. Every person helped by that fund will know that you set the example for its creation to bring relief, sustenance, security, happiness, and peace to your family, your friends, your community, and all of klal yisrael.

So, Dad & Mom – thank you for all you did for us. We know we can never pay you back. With G-d’s help we will succeed in paying it forward.

Yihye zichram baruch – may their memories be for a blessing.