Today, ה׳ מנחם אב, marks my father’s 32nd yahrzeit. We also remember his beloved sister, my Aunt Zadika, whose yahrzeit falls on ב׳ באב.
These days fall during the solemn period leading to Tisha B’Av, when the Jewish people mourn the destruction of the First and Second Temples.
The literal meaning of the month of Av is “father” in Hebrew. Traditionally, it is called Menachem Av (“the Comforting Av”), reminding us that even in times of grief, our Heavenly Father is our source of comfort. Today, that symbolism touches me in a very personal way.
Recently, I reread the long poem my father wrote about his childhood in Kurdistan, an ode to his own father, Rabbi Hacham Shalom Shimoni זצ״ל. These words still speak to me:
“I know with certainty that my father shaped my path. He became my compass. Through him I learned the path of compassion, responsibility, the pursuit of justice, and above all, never to stop seeking the good and to feel the heartbeat of life in every act of kindness.”
As I read those words today, I realize that the gift my grandfather gave my father became the gift my father gave me. May I always be worthy of that legacy.
May their memories forever be a blessing. יהי זכרם ברוך.
Today, I share my tribute, “Shalom Abba,” with love, gratitude, and reverence.
