ELISE STONE

Shiva – 19 December 2017

Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein

EliseStone(neeHarris)-ElishevabatBerilBaruchHa-levi What’sinaname?AtthefuneralImentionedthattheonlythingthatbuggedmymother-in-lawwastobecalledElsie.Butwhatpromptedherparentstogiveheraslightlyunusualname?Maybeitwaspopularin1925,afilmstar?MaybetheylikedBeethhoven’sFurElise…maybesisterDaveneknowsthereason.Butitcertainlywasadistinctivenameforadistinctiveperson.ElderdaughterofKatieandBaronBarnetHarris,onlywhenlookingforElise’sHebrewnamedidafewthingsbecomeclear.Forherfather’sHebrewnamewasBerilBaruch…BB…andaLevitoboot.NotthatIbelievehewaseverparticularlyreligious,thoughveryJewishand,intimePresidentofSouthgateProgressiveSynagogue.ButBaronandKitinstilledintheirthreegirlsadeepspiritualfeelingandElise’sHebrewnameElishevaseemedtopredicatethis…Elisheva,“MyGodismyoath”…andElise…stayedtruetothatmeaningallherlife…infactuntilherlastsentientmoments.AsIsaidthisafternoon…SharonandIlightingChanukkahcandlesforherandshemouthingthelastwordsoftheblessingsandMaozTzuraswesungthemtoandwithher.AndonlyareallyreligiouspersonwouldhavearrangedwithAaronsometimeagotohavesungatherfuneralthe23rdPsalm…oldwordsandtothemelodyofCrimond…aswellasasonnetbyRobertNathanonwinter,forshesolovedpoetryandliteratureandthesoundofwordsandmusic.AndhowfittingshediedatChanukkah...thefestivaloflightandrejoicing…andchildren…forherfamilygaveherthegreatestjoy…herchildrenandgrandchildrenandgreat-grandchildren…awholehostofthem.Chanukkahbasicallyafestivalcelebratedinthehome,forElise,thougharegularshul-goerwashappiestinherhome,especiallyastheyearswentby.AndasIsaidatthefuneral,shewouldhavebeenwellsatisfiedtoknowthatthisChanukkahtherewerefamilygatheringsinNorthwoodandBirmingham…continuingtheKopkin/Harris/Stonetraditionofclosefamilyrelationshipsandcareforoneanother.Andwellsatisfiedthedistancecoveredtobeatherfuneral…Birmingham,Leedsandnoch,HongKong,findingaflightattheverylastmoment..Andwe,herfamilyare,perhaps,fortunatethatinfutureaswelightthemenorah,wecanrememberoursisterandmother,ourgrandmotherandyesgreat-grandmotherwithasmileonourfaceaswesingMaozTzur…RockofAges…Godofoursalvation….forshehadGodinhername…andinherlife.Manyofyouheretonight,membersofthiscongregation,onlyknewEliseinthelastphaseofherandherdearHarold’slife.Infact,twodecadesormoresincemovingdownfromBirmingham.Imentionedatthefuneralheractivelifeworkingforthecommunity,devotedtotheLeagueofJewishWomen,andbecomingChairmanoftheBirminghambranchandonthenationalcommittee.HerworkforBirminghamLiberalSynagogueontheLadiesGuild,assecretarytotherabbi…andinthatrolesawthatRabbiRosenbergwouldpredictatSharon’sBatMitzvahthatshewouldmarryarabbi…andElisemadesureitwouldcometrueandIameternallygratefulforthisinterventioninmyandSharon’slife.SheandHaroldsohospitable…andRabbiMargaretJacobi,insendingherapologies,remindedmeofthewelcometotheirhometheygavetostudentsandrefugeesarrivinginBirmingham.

ButhereatNPLStheyboththrewthemselvesintothelifeofthiscongregationandheremadewonderfulfriendsthatgavenewinterestandjoytotherelateryears.Thefriendshiptheyofferedandreceivedsoimportantaftertheirmovesouth.Anditistributetotheircharacterthatarebothnowrememberedwithfondnessbysomanyheretonight.AndatthefuneralIwassotouchedbyayoungdoctorabandoninghisclinicattheRoyalFreeHospitalbecauseEliseandHaroldhadbeenababysitteryearsago.Hesaidtheywerelikegrandparentstohim:suchwastheirsimpleinfluenceonmanylives.ElishevabatBerylBaruch…sheadoredherfatherandwemustmentionhermother,Kit…KatieKopkin…sheinheritedherstatureandhernatureandherloveoffamilyandfriends,ofservicetothecommunityanddevotiontoGod.AndDaveneremindedmethatjustashermotherwashappytogoalongwiththemisapprehensionthatherhusbandreallywasaBaron,ElisewasnotunhappytobetreatedasaprincessbyherHarold.ElishevaoccursonlyonceintheBible…Exodus6:23ifyouwanttocheckuponme.ElishevathewifeofAaron…ElishevathedaughterofAminadavthesisterofNachson.Doyourecallherbrother...NachshonbenAminadav…theMidrashwereadatPesach,attheshoreoftheseawhentheIsraelitesdidnothavefaithtomoveforwarduntilNachshonjumpedinandforhiscouragetheseaparted.Eliseinheritedthisquality,quietresolutionanddecisiveness...loveofherpeopleandofGod….andloveofherfamilyandfriends.Elisediedonthe18thofthemonthand18inHebrewmeans“Chai”…life.Elisehadagoodlonglifeandwecanonlyhopeandpraythatwhenourturncomestobecalledfromthisworld,ournameandlife,likethatofEliseStonewillberememberedforablessing.