Each year we honor a member for lifelong service to KI and service to humanity with a Rabbi David Einhorn Award and a plaque on the Simcha Wall. This award is presented at our Heritage Shabbat which was created about ten years ago to honor the founding of KI in March 1847. This Shabbat, Friday, March 10, 2023 at 7:00 p.m., we will honor Dr. Arnold and Norma Meshkov.
When I asked Norma and Arnold to give me some of their prayer/song requests, you won’t be surprised to learn one of them was L’dor Vador, which means from generation to generation. They embody what it means to hold heritage tightly, to serve their community, and to give to the next generation. Both have served as synagogue presidents and have given countless hours to ensure the vitality of our community, our building, and our values/beliefs.
They also shared with me another song they love- “In My Life” written by the Beatles. Here are a few verses of this song:
There are places I’ll remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I’ve loved them all
Though I know I’ll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I’ll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more
In my life I love you more
As we will share with you many of the photos of Norma and Arnold throughout their years at KI, you will see that KI never travels far from their hearts. They carry with them all of the memories they have and they gave to others. In their life “they have loved them all.”
They will share this honor with the great recipients of the past. (2014~Phyllis Sichel z’l; 2015~Doris Parker; 2016~Stanley Singer; 2017~Eve and Bernard z’l Mennies; 2018~Karen Sirota; 2019~Sandra “Sonnie” Katz; 2020~Rita Poley; 2022~Ellen Tilman). While some are “dead and some are living” we love them all.
At Friday services I will sing “In My Life” as we celebrate Norma and Arnold, and the love for KI that they have perpetuated through the years.