Read the introductory festschrift article here.
“What can we say, how can we speak,” said Judah before the Viceroy of Egypt, who subsequently revealed himself as Judah’s brother, Joseph.
What is there to say, how can we speak about our brother Joseph, who left us far to early?
I’ve known Joe for almost 15 years, since my arrival in Hanover as Rabbi of Chabad at Dartmouth. There are many things I want to say, but I feel I must be brief.
Over the last 31 months, Chabad at Dartmouth purchased and renovated a new Chabad House near campus. Joe was a proud supporter of Chabad, and he loved our story, particularly the marriage of entrepreneurship and work for the community. He would often drop by — announced and unannounced — to check in on the progress of our building. As construction neared completion, he asked me if we were going to put dimmers on our lights. I told him that we weren’t looking for added costs and had no plans to install them, but I asked why he brought them up?
“When I wake up at 3 AM and it’s still dark out, I don’t want to be blinded first thing as I make my way to my home office to write,” he told me.
“Joe, I don’t ever wake up at 3am to write,” I responded. Now, every morning when I turn on my bathroom light and it blinds me, I think of Joe.
I have heard and read from many something I have always known about Joe: he was unapologetically honest, and if you couldn’t reciprocate you probably weren’t his friend for very long.
In the Talmud it states that our forefather Jacob never died. How can that be? The commentators answer, “If his children are alive, so to is he.”
Let’s all be Joe’s children when it comes to honesty. Let’s be truthful, even if it makes us unpopular. That is how we can keep his spirit and memory alive.
I miss him.
Rabbi Moshe L. Gray
Chabad at Dartmouth
Addendum: If you’d like to contribute a memory or nominate your favourite article written by Joe, e-mail us at dartblog.news@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you!
