Nice Words from Nice People
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Weddings

July 30, 2006

Dear Rabbi Jerry,

 I have been meaning to write you for some time to thank you for making our wedding ceremony so special. Bob and I were delighted with how things turned out. You were a calming presence for us and you did an excellent job of making all of our guests feel welcome. Thank you for making the long trip – we are grateful that you could do that for us. Thank you also for suggesting the interfaith discussion group at the JCC to us…we are still enjoying spending time with the people we met in the group…

Congratulations on your new grandchild! Hope all is well with you.

My best, Suzanne

Hi Rabbi Levy,

Ryan and I just want to tell you how THRILLED we were with the ceremony. It was everything we wanted. You made it personable and comfortable for us, meaningful for everyone in the room, and even made our guests laugh. You set the perfect tone for the rest of the night. We were delighted that so many of the guests commented about how wonderful the ceremony was- everyone from my family that worried about Ryan not converting, to Ryan's family with little/no knowledge of Judaism. One of my friends said the girl (not Jewish) sitting next to him turned to him crying and said "I want a Jewish wedding" :) We feel very lucky to have found you.

Thanks for being such a stellar officiant!

Warm regards, Shonelle & Ryan

Dear Rabbi Levy,

Your calming presence enabled Ronne and I to realize a defining moment in our lives such that our commitment and bonding is true and deep and loving, without question. I could not have been more satisfied and grateful for your spiritually perfect rendition of a Jewish ceremony. I can't imagine how it could have been better.

All of our guests especially the non-Jewish ones marveled at how relaxed yet moving it was and how your commanding yet serene delivery and stance and expression exuded a shining light of tranquility yet purposefulness. A delivery that was truly touching to all hearts present! We thank you for bringing the two of us into one!

Fondly, Barry

Hi Rabbi Jerry,

 I just referred a friend of mine who is getting married in San Francisco to you. Hope you are doing well. We look forward to seeing you in a couple weeks.

Thanks! Michelle

Dear Rabbi Jerry,

 We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for a beautiful and heartfelt ceremony that suited us perfectly. It was a truly magical night. We received so many wonderful compliments about the ceremony and we were delighted and honored to have you join us for the reception. Last night was a night we will treasure forever. We will send you some pictures soon.

Thanks again for everything.

Ted and Lindsay

 

Funerals

Dear Jerry,

Please let me tell you again how very much your service for Pearl meant to us all.  A more lovely tribute or wonderful prayers and thoughts could not have been written or spoken.   Rabbi Jerry, you made the day an absolutely perfect and memorable one for us as we said goodbye to mother and for that we are more grateful than words can adequately express.

You have a special talent for reaching out to families at the toughest of times.  I was cautious in my hopes of meeting a rabbi that I could relate to and only expected one who could do a nice job.  You blew us away with your empathy, insight and ultimately your understanding of Pearl’s remarkable spirit and interesting history of service, commitment and accomplishment.

Many, many thanks from our family.  We look forward to seeing you again, soon.

Best to you Rabbi Jerry,

Peter
 

Dear Rabbi,

My wife, and I, tell you, how respectful the conduct of your services was for the burial of Sarah.

In every sense of the word, it was dignified, yet warm and compassionate. I must believe that you imparted a message of courage measured with words of comfort not only for the daughters and family of Sarah, but for her friends and companions.

The goodly numbers of people who came for the Love of Sarah; came to pay their lasting respect to her. Your service rendition ushered her to Our GOD Almighty.

Herman

Dear Rabbi,

I wanted to thank you for the wonderful eulogy that you wrote for my Dad. Many of the family asked if I had written it, so you managed to capture much of his warm, fun and generous personality. Thank you so much for your efforts. They were greatly appreciated by all who were there. Steve, Carolyn, Bill and I were comforted by your words.

Thank you again,

Sincerely,

Carol

Dear Rabbi!

Thank you for your service and reading your sermon again. I admire how well you received my feelings and Paul’s life. (Possibly reading The Siege of Budapest helped you too.) Thank you for your thoughtful understanding.

Shalom Alice

Dear Rabbi Levy,

Thank you so much for the eulogy and for the service at my mom's grave. It was a moving service, and many people told me later that you captured the spirit of my mom. I thought so too. Thanks too for your words to me a few days earlier. They have stayed with me.

Many thanks again,

 Joni

Dear Rabbi!

Forgive me for being a bit late. I wanted to thank you again for the kind words you said about my dad.

I didn't realize until later that you had spoke to my mom about our dad.
Your words were elegantly put together for our family.

It was very difficult for our twins Cole and Grant. They have learned a lot from Grandpa and I'm sure this will help them grow even further into kind, loving young men. Our sons have good souls. I'm just not saying this because I'm their mom, but you can sense their kindness around them. Through their humor and honesty. Our friends, teachers coaches and of course our family we all sense this in them. I am truly blessed to have them as my children.

We will miss my dad so much. My sister and I went through allot together the last hours with him. But through it all he was still protecting us. I would love to have a copy of the words you spoke on behalf of our family.

thank you again

 Susan

Dear Rabbi Levy,

I have been contacted by Maury and Gail who wish to invite you to officiate at a memorial service for Gail’s father who past away on Monday, April 4th. Gail said that you officiated at their daughter’s wedding, and they’d like you to do the memorial service as well.

I’m seeking your permission to give her your telephone number. If you prefer to call her directly please let me know.

Thank you. L'Shalom,

Linda

Dear Jerry,

From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank you for the speech you made. You brought to the surface the thoughts and spirit we where pleased so much to hear. I do believe that our meeting on this glory day is a begging of long journey of the happiness ahead.

God bless you and your love one's.

Best regards.

Michael

Sermons

Hi Rabbi,

 I was frankly amazed as well as delighted by your sermon Friday for Erev Rosh Hashana. As a statement that we are a social action congregation it was straightforward. And as a grandparent I kvelled with you when you described your new grandson Saturday morning. I'm assuming when you asked for Adon Olam a second time it was because you were distracted by thoughts of this dear baby. Thanks for the words about family. On the bus this morning I sat near a mother with two teenagers and thought about how people so easily deny children their dignity. It is easy to do. And for the elderly, and the infirm, and sometimes just our close family members.

Thank you so much for these sermons, and thanks too for telling the post bar and bat mitzvah kids that you were going to be more involved with them. It's an age group that needs and deserves attention and hasn't gotten much. As you know, we've had in the past people who thought this was a congregation for retirees only - and some who thought it was their duty to warn off anyone with small children. And good members have left to put their small children in other congregations' preschools and Tot Shabbats. So as a board member I look forward to things changing.

Thanks,

Pat