Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Yael Splansky

From Rabbi Splansky’s Eulogy for Fred Zemans z”l (Ephraim ben Natan v’Shoshanah)

Holy Blossom Temple President from 1986-1988

Today, the fullness of the life of Fred Zemans emerges again for us to honour and celebrate.  Today, we reassign the dignity and esteem to the man, who earned it — mitzvah by mitzvah, small, sacred deed by small, sacred deed.

We learn about this accumulation of the small things from Rabbi Leo Baeck, who is remembered here in stained glass as he is remembered through the namesake of the Reform Jewish Day School, which Fred helped to establish.  Baeck wrote: “Piety, especially Jewish piety, respects the little – the little person, the little matter, the little task, the little duty.  Through the little, religion meets the greatness that lies behind.”

Fred understood this. The small conversation with a grandchild wasn’t small at all – it will be remembered forever.  The small piece of advice given to a law student wasn’t small at all – it set the trajectory of a career.  The small words Fred strung together to express big ideas took hold and shaped this country of Canada, which he loved.  Those little words and big ideas took hold in far-off countries, too.

So let us learn from Fred to set our deeds to scale.  To let the small devotions be magnified, to let the small mitzvot multiply, to let the small gestures of kindness accumulate into a lifetime of great and far-reaching impact.

We can also learn from the kind of Jew that Fred Zemans was.  Fred was a Jewish particularist.  He loved his people.  He felt responsible for the Jewish People.  He learned Jewish leadership from the living examples set by his parents and grandparents in Calgary, founders of the synagogue, leaders of Hadassah and the National Council of Jewish Women.  Fred walked in their footsteps.  His rabbis became his friends.  Fred was so proud of the growth of the Leo Baeck Day School. I remember how he would well up every time he spoke of it. Fred served as the President of Holy Blossom Temple from 1986-1988, and he gave counsel to many Temple Presidents who succeeded him.

Fred’s Jewish particularism was matched by his Jewish universalism.  He loved his people, and out of his love for the Jewish People, his love for all people grew.  Out of his love for the Torah-wisdom that teaches how all people are created in the image of God, Fred devoted himself – personally and professionally – to protecting the human dignity of every human being. He attached himself to the whole; felt responsible for those beyond the sphere of his own people.

So let us learn from Fred how to devote ourselves to our own people fully and how to – simultaneously – devote ourselves to other peoples fully.  Fred showed us that we don’t have to choose.  Life does not have to be seen as a series of “either/or” decisions and devotions.  If we will it, life can be met with: “yes/and.” Fred Zemans showed us that with hard work, with an open heart and a good mind, we can meet this broken world with a full commitment to those who are close and to those who are far, to those who are just like me and to those who are not like me, but are nevertheless, part of my human family.