bs"d
Dear Judy and Charlie and Ken, amv"sh
It was an honor to be able to be at the zoom Shiva on Sunday.with you and so many wonderful friends of Helen z"l. They say the Neshoma of the deceased is in the Shiva house so I am sure she was there in spirit and in some way feeling a tremendous sense of accomplishment and connection to those present. It was so special to hear everyone's story and unfortunately I had to leave the zoom session early. I would have loved to have stayed on.
I thought of what I would have wanted to say and I wanted to share it with you.
Helen as an individual was truly remarkable. Dignified, strong, passionate, compassionate and caring, elegant, unbending when it came to principles, a caring heart that never became callous in spite of the pain. So many other adjectives to describe Helen and these are just a few. Each time she spoke of Gush Katif there were tears in her eyes. That emotional pain never went away after all the years.
Helen was a superb letter writer, short and to the point, the perfect protester, the greatest speaker, an activist par excellence for Israel. A leader of Chizuk Missions. Her causes were fighting Gush Katif Expulsion, Fighting the Iran Deal, Fighting for Hilltop Youth and for all the Outposts in Judea and Samaria, Fighting UNRWA hate in their textbooks and camps, Fighting against Death of Klinghoffer opera performances, Fighting for Sderot, Fighting for Yemenite Village and Ateret Kohanim, Ascending Temple Mount, Fighting for Regavim and Women in Green and Oz VeGaon, Fighting for Israel Land Fund and Beit Orot and One Israel Fund.
Supporting Hebron and Itamar and Yitzhar, RCRF, Honenu, and bringing Chizuk to all the displaced people from Gush Katif, in the Golan, in Ariel in the Negev and in the Jordan Valley etc. .. There were the Tisha B'Av vigils at the United Nations and the Zeev Jabotinsky Memorial, Joining ZOA platform for the World Zionist Elections, JCCWatch, marching and speaking in the Israel Day Parade and so much more. You constantly hosted fabulous speakers, Edwin Black, Yifa Segal Esq. of International Legal Forum, Marc Provisor, Arieh King, David Bedein MK's etc. etc.. too many to mention, each a gem. You know who they are....Of course Mark Langfan the Chairman of AFSI truly impresses us with his articles in Arutz7 and maps which provides such clarity as per the dangers of a two State Solution..., Judy you came on the scene as co-Executive Director and social media took off, activism on College Campus a focus and young leadership joining AFSI a much treasured goal. The newsletter just got better and better, with an impressive calendar of events and links to events encompassing a broader audience. The AFSI team was always a devoted group and whose team efforts were a work of love. Charlie you were always the right hand man, making sure the equipment, signs, permits etc were in place. Your love of Chazanus was contagious. Always a stable presence. Even though AFSI gatherings were not large in numbers, like the Jewish people AFSI rallies were rich in content. There were myriads of angels accompanying the AFSI group at a rally and every participant was a star. We realized that a few people covered by the news made a greater impact than lots of people that are ignored. But I believe that always in Heaven, AFSI's efforts were noticed and greatly appreciated!
If I had to choose the most noteworthy accomplishment of AFSI under Helen's leadership was that it was always about the bigger picture. It was all about the different Jewish organizations and communities and projects. Helen didn't push AFSI but pushed for all the Settlements and Organizations that built Eretz Yisroel and all the causes to make A Safe Israel. It wasn't about AFSI the organization.
Every Organization came to AFSI because they knew that with AFSI they had an ear and support, be it emotional, political and financial. AFSI did tremendous fundraising for many many dinners for many different Organizations and the checks were always made out to the organization and not to AFSI.
Tremendous merit goes to the late Herb Zweibon ob"m and Mark Zweibon treasurer and Board Member and all those who shoulder the financial day to day running of AFSI behind the scenes and enable AFSI to continue as an independent organization, without the need to cater to any specific agenda or group.
It is not surprising for that reason alone, that AFSI was one of the few Jewish Organizations to actively fight the expulsion from Gush Katif and fight for the Hilltop Youth.
Words do not suffice...
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שערי אבלי ציון וירושלים
May you be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem and may you know of no more sorrow.
May Helen's Memory be for a Blessing, Zichrona Livracha, and may her soul be intertwined with the living.
ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.
Sharing in your loss and the collective loss of the Jewish People and the World at Large.
Sincerely,
Robin Ticker
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