2004-11-29 Mort Isaacson-Laura Simon |
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Two Lessons of Life—and
Immortality jewishsightseeing.com, Nov. 29, 2004 |
SAN DIEGO—Separate simchas held yesterday (Sunday, Nov. 28) for Mort Isaacson and Laura Simon can teach us much about valuing the time allotted to us in this life. Isaacson is a past president and one of the founders of Ner Tamid Synagogue. Pioneering congregants still remember praying in his living room. Today, he is battling leukemia, and though his spirit is strong, and numerous friends throughout the community regularly donate blood for many required transfusions, he knows there are no guarantees. Fellow congregants wanted to make certain that Isaacson at least symbolically realized his dream of moving Ner Tamid Synagogue from rented quarters in Rancho Bernardo to its own building on a hilltop in Poway. So they gathered at the construction site, where Isaacson participated in a symbolic dedication. The building's walls have not yet been erected, but congregants built a
door attached to a portable frame. At the appointed moment, Isaacson,
supported by members of his family, stepped through this passageway of
love. Simon said she believes a secret to longevity is setting survival goals for
oneself. For example, she said, seniors should promise themselves they
will live at least long enough to attend the bar mitzvah, or wedding, of this
or that grandchild or great-grandchild. Learning about the ceremony for Isaacson, Laura Simon suggested that the Ner Tamid founder vow to live at least long enough to attend important ceremonies inside the consecrated building. Mentally alert and reflective at 99, Simon confided that she no longer
fears death the way she did when she was 40 or 50 years old. She said she
believes the experience of death will be the same kind of peaceful feeling
that comes over her at times when sits alone in her quiet University City area
apartment, where she lives independently. Even though she continues to set her survival goals, Simon says she feels both comfort and a sense of satisfaction that the lessons she learned during her long life occasionally will touch the shores walked by future generations. —Donald H. Harrison |