A Passion For Science And A Quest for Knowledge
At Touro Synagogue
March 7, 2019
By Aaron Ginsburg
Thanks to Rabbi Marc Mandel
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| Dr. Elie Cohen |
On Shabbat we had a good attendance at Touro Synagogue. The family of Dr. Elie Cohen, who died on Purim two years ago, sponsored Kiddush. Many family members were in attendance, as well as regulars, Navy personnel, and a few visitors.
In the special haftarah for Shabbat Zachor, I Samuel 15:2 - 15:34, Samuel confronted King Saul because all the booty from the defeat of the Amelakites was not destroyed. Saul responded that it was saved to sacrifice to the Holy One. Samuel was having none of it. His response indicates an evolving change in Israelite religion, “But Samuel said: ‘Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to the LORD’s command? Surely, obedience is better than sacrifice, compliance than the fat of rams.’”
Rabbi Marc Mandel began by thanking us for following the Corona Protocols (I am working on the comic book). Among the Corona Protocols:
Don’t shake hands,
Don’t kiss the Torah.
OK to kiss a spouse (but I think we were told to take our thermometers out and check the temperature first- either to make sure the other half was not too hot, or to make sure that the other half was hot...I can’t quite recall.)
Rabbi Mandel told us,
“This week is Shabbat Zachor - the Shabbat to remember.
“This Shabbat we remember our dear member Dr. Elie Cohen, who passed away on Purim.
“We thank his family for sponsoring the Kiddush in his memory.
“Dr. Elie Cohen was a great member of Touro Synagogue who loved to participate in our Services.
“He was also a great member of the larger Newport community. He was a superb doctor and he helped advance the practice of medicine greatly in this city.
“On Shabbat Zachor we are supposed to remember how the nation of Amalek attacked the Jewish people when they left Egypt.
“Dr. Cohen knew Amalek. He was born in Egypt and he faced many challenges there, and that's why he left, and moved to the US.
“The Jewish people have always stood for progress and science, and Amalek is threatened by this, and Dr. Cohen understood his future as a doctor and as a person of science was not there. May his memory be a blessing."
After a bounteous kiddush by Paula, which didn’t include bagels, Charlene Tuttle, wife of Larry Cohen and daughter-in-law of Elie z.l. and Marcia spoke about what it is like to be Rhode Island teacher of the year. It has been a busy year for her. Charlene hopes to inculcate in her students “a passion for science and a quest for knowledge.” That phrase is a good description of Dr. Elie Cohen
We learnt this morning that Shabbat services were canceled this week and that the annual CJI Seder would not take place this year.
I hope to continue posting during this difficult period.
Shabbat Shalom from Jewish Newport!
More about Dr. Cohen:
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