Tonight, I am traveling back from New York to Las Vegas. I went to New York for 24 hours to appear before The Joint Beth Din of The Conservative Movement, so that I could receive my certification as a Mesader Gittin. For the past two years, I have been studying intensely to make sure I could accomplish this goal (I will write more about that in a different post).

Every time I close my eyes and try to catch some sleep on the plane, I start thinking of my friend Benny and his family. Once in a while we meet people who inspire us and through their example challenge us to become better. When I say “better,” I don’t only mean better at what we do but better at who we are as people! One such person for me had been Benny Katz. Benny was our Rabbinic intern at Temple Beth Sholom for a year and a half. Benny is a Rabbincal Student at The Ziegler School of Rabbinic studies in Los Angeles and used to join us about two times a month and help us with different educational programs and gave me some personal relief on The Pulpit. Last year, some weeks after Rosh Hashana, Benny’s son Zalman suffered complete heart failure while exercising. After a long struggle, Zalman died at the beginning of May — just a couple of weeks ago. Zalman was 16-years-old.

Throughout this time, I saw Benny in a completely different way. He became a teacher to me by showing me how a person clings on to faith even at times when most people would falter. Benny’s wife Marlene wrote hundreds of entries at the CaringBridge website. Through those posts, we not only knew what was happening but could actually feel the hundreds of hands that came together to help, comfort and hope. 

Zalman’s funeral was one of the saddest moments that I have ever experienced, but it was also one of the most spiritual moments in my life. Before, I saw funerals as sad and difficult moments. After what I experienced a couple of weeks ago, I now know for a fact something that I have always preached — that there are people who teach us with their spirit even after they leave us.

Craig Taubman sang at Zalman’s funeral, and he started by singing a song by Jimmy Eat World called “Hear You Me,” which Zalman was listening to just a couple of weeks before he fell sick.  He actually asked Benny to make sure they played the song at his funeral! Below, please find the lyrics to this song.  Please read these words and think of Zalman and his family. Please read these words and be challenged to live lives of meaning so that we too, one day may be “Led in by Angels!”

There’s no one in town I know
You gave us some place to go.
I never said thank you for that.
I thought I might get one more chance.
What would you think of me now,
so lucky, so strong, so proud?
I never said thank you for that,
now I’ll never have a chance.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.
So what would you think of me now,
so lucky, so strong, so proud?
I never said thank you for that,
now I’ll never have a chance.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.
May angels lead you in.
May angels lead you in.
And if you were with me tonight,
I’d sing to you just one more time.
A song for a heart so big,
God wouldn’t let it live.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.
May angels lead you in.

© Rabbi Felipe Goodman, all rights reserved.

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