No words

I know it has been a few weeks since I have posted. At first it was just that we were very busy with the holidays. We came to Sharon the weekend before Sukkot and have been here the last couple of weeks. The holidays always keep us busy. The weather was perfect the first two days, sunny and comfortable, just cool enough to keep the bees from intruding on our festive meals. We ate with our children for the evening meals but were invited to friends both days. The first was a wonderful opportunity for the two of us to spend an afternoon with the two of them, their daughter and her husband, and their young grandson. It had been far too long since we had the opportunity to time to sit and reminisce. The second day was the annual gathering at another friend’s house. A number of people were away but it made it more possible to really chat with almost everyone who was there, and that was quite enjoyable. There was an abundance of delicious food throughout the holiday, too!

After the first two glorious days of Sukkot, the rain came, and came, and came, and did not stop until the last days. So we really had much less time in the Sukkah than we would have liked; maybe next year.

During our years in Sharon, we lived very close to a number of members of our synagogue. Most of us were 30-something couples with elementary or younger children. A few of us lived on Brook Road in Sharon, including Barry and Hilary and their children. Just before last Shabbat we received the news we had all been dreading, that Barry had died of cancer. Barry (my husband) and I had been visiting our friend on nearly every trip to Sharon over the past months. He had been diagnosed about two years ago and initially seemed to do well following surgery, but the cancer returned with a vengeance and he had been in home hospice for the last couple of months. All of their children were in Sharon for the first days of Sukkot. Their oldest son lives on the West Coast and left his wife and two young children behind, but their other two sons, their daughter and her husband and two children all spent the holiday in Sharon.

Barry and Hilary were both doctors: Barry specialized in hematology/oncology and Hilary in pediatrics. It was actually through our friend Barry that Barry met Dr. K., an oncologist/radiation oncologist in Israel, and it was Dr. K. who organized an intensive week long course Barry has taught in clinical radiation biology. The course has taken a number of forms but basically Barry taught a clinical radiation biology course in Israel or in Turkey for an intense week every three years or so.

There was a memorial service in Sharon before the family travelled to Israel where he was to be buried today, and they are probably on their way back as I write this, to sit Shiva at their home on Brook Road. I am confident that all of their wonderful friends in the Sharon community will help Hilary navigate the difficult road ahead.  

Love,

Rebecca