[Gathnet] A tribute to uncle Eli

[stuart g gathman]

Dear Gathnetters,  I am enclosing a tribute to uncle Eli that I received 
today.  It is in the Jerusalem Prayer List which is part of the ministry 
of Netiviah which I mentioned earlier.  It gives a further insight to 
his ministry in Israel.

Love,  der  Altgrossvater


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Jerusalem Prayer List - August 19 2004
by Joseph Shulam
 
I have been on the road for the last two weeks, and that is the reason 
why I have not written the Jerusalem Prayer List last week.  Much has 
happened since the last "Jerusalem Prayer List" - The biggest thing that 
has happened at home is that our dear brother Eliyahu, for whom so many 
of you have prayed has gone to be with the Lord.  Eliyahu died at about 
the same time that our congregation was praying for him.  He died on 
Sunday, August 15th, 2004.  Eliyahu was buried in Beit Shemesh at 
Midnight on the same day.  It is the custom to bury people on the same 
day that they die.  The burial is simple and there is no casket, just a 
linen grave cloth that wraps the body of the dead.  The whole in the 
ground is plain and the friends and family participate to cover the body 
with the soil and stones are put on top of the grave.  Many people came 
to Eliyahu's burial, even though it was so late at night.  The local 
Orthodox Rabbis came and spoke wonderfully about Eliyahu's person and 
character, and about his sincere dedication to the search for truth and 
constant concern and interest in the coming of the Messiah.  Many people 
from our congregation attended the funeral of Eliyahu.  Every evening 
there is a prayer meeting at Eliayhu's home and people from the 
congregation join with people from the local synagogues that come to 
pray the evening prayer at the home of the deceased.  It is a wonderful 
custom that gives support and community to those who are grieving for 
the loss of their loved one.
 
Someone said that if Eliyahu would have been buried in Jerusalem the 
Rabbis who do this burial job at the cemetery would have said that we 
are somekind of strange cult that comes every two weeks to the 
cemetery.  A little more than a month ago we buried Menahem Ben-Haim, 
and two three weeks ago we buried Rafi, and now we have buried Eliyahu.  
Eliyahu was one of J.F.K's original "Peace Core" people. As a young man 
just out of college he traveled the world over and visited with the work 
of the "Peace Core" countries like China and Afghanistan, and Pakistan, 
and Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and many other countries.  Eliyahu came to 
Israel and from the very beginning at the end of the 1970's he joined 
our congregation and was one of the most faithful members of our 
fellowship at Netivyah and at the Roeh Israel Congregation.  He was a 
board member of Netivyah for more than ten years.  He got his Ph.D. from 
the Hebrew University and lectured in several of the institutes and 
Universities in Israel, and wrote many articles that were published in 
the "Teaching from Zion."  The humility and simplicity of Eliyahu are 
going to continue to be an example for emulation by all of us at 
Netivyah and in fact by all who knew him both in our congregation and in 
the Synagogue.  May his memory be honored with respect by all those who 
knew him and may we his honor be remembered among us. 
 
I would like to bless all of you who prayed for Eliyahu for the last two 
years and who have lifted him up before the Lord for healing.  The Lord 
is our final resource and our final stay.  We have no complaint nor do 
we challenge the Lord's decision about any of the things that He, in His 
mercy, bestows upon us.