Jerusalem, Israel - Sep. 2, 2015 - TA Alumnus and World Famous Cookbook Author and Culinary Historian, Rabbi Gil Marks, Z'L, was eulogized at his unveiling by brother Rabbi Yaakov Marks, brother-in-law Rabbi Shimon (Bill) Altshul and nieces and nephews.
Efrat Altshul Schorr, the eldest of the nieces and nephews, said the following about her uncle:
This coming week’s Torah reading, Parshat Ki Tavo opens with a dramatic reflection of several meaningful dimensions of Uncle Gil’s life.
The parsha opens with the scenario of eventual arrival of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel.
×�×�×�×� ×�×� ת×�×�×� ×�×� ×�×�רץ ×�שר ×�' ×�×�×�ק×�×� × ×ª×� ×�×� × ×�×�×� ×�×�רשת×� ×�×�ש×�ת ×�×�
Uncle Gil loved Eretz Yisrael. He embraced the opportunity to spend time here after Safta and Zayde moved here. He marveled at the progress of the start up nation and thoroughly enjoyed the wealth of cultures and perspectives that the country enjoyed as a result of the beginning of the Kibuutz galuyot.
The first thing that the Torah instructs the Jewish people upon their arrival is to take the rich produce of this bountiful land, appreciate that it is a gift from Hashem and then bring it as a contribution to the mikdash
×�×�ק×�ת ×�ר×�ש×�ת ×�×� פר×� ×�×�×�×�×� ×�שר ת×�×�×� ×�×�רצ×� ×�שר ×�' ×�×�×�ק×�×� ×�×� ×�ש×�ת ×�×�× ×� ×�×�×�×�ת ×�×� ×�×�ק×�×� ×�שר ×�×�×�ר ×�' ×�×�×�ק×�×� ×�ש×�×� ש×�×� ש×�.
Uncle Gil appreciated food. He found food profound in importance, filled with meaning and significance.
Then with the fruits of the land collected, the Torah tells the Jewish people to bring this offering to the mikdash, present them to the Cohen, and then recall the history of the Jewish people from the humble beginnings of the Forefathers, to the slavery of Egypt next the deliverance from affliction of Egypt, until our ultimate arrival in the Promised Land, bringing us to this offering of fruit.
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The famous text of our Pesach seder is drawn from this declaration of our past trials to this point of comfort and blessing.
Uncle Gil realized that food is the ideal vehicle for learning about cultures and traditions of Jewish communities around the world. Food provided him with a lens through which to view Jewish history, to reflect on the impact of the suffering and the celebrations. Like this declaration, Uncle Gil used food as a way to connect to the generations before him.
This past Pesach was a hard time for our family: for me it was my first Pesach without Gil in my world. On Shabbat following the last day, I decided to make chremslach, the matzo meal pancakes in honey syrup that Gil used to make for Zayde, because that’s what Zayde’s mother used to make. I stared down at this bowl of brown balls and cried. Tears of sadness, of longing, and of love. I realized that I had appreciated Gil’s message: we connect to our people through food. We honor our roots and feel closer to them. Gil is not here anymore, but every holiday will have an enduring unique and delicious taste due to the legacy he left us.
×�ש×�×�ת ×�×�×� ×�×�×�×� ×�שר × ×ª×� ×�×� ×�' ×�×�×�ק×�
Uncle Gil appreciated it all, every juicy fig, every new fruit, every decadent dessert and real sourdough bread. He appreciated not only food, but he appreciated all that was good and happy.
Finally, the Torah emphasizes that the Jewish people are not meant to enjoy the riches of their land in their own selfish pleasure. Rather the Torah reminds the Jewish people to share their good fortune with the weak and the needy in the community.
Uncle Gil shared with tremendous enthusiasm. He loved to share his wisdom, his ideas , and his experience. Just as the Torah urges us to include those who have no one to look after them, no person was unimportant to Uncle Gil. He would take the time to get to know every one, small child, person on the street. He just cared about everyone, it never seemed like he had to try hard to be nice to people, it just came naturally to him.
The conclusion of the parsha is one of Divine involvement, blessing, and appreciation. It seems to provide comfort to us standing here today honoring Gil’s memory:
×�שק×�פ×� ×�×�×¢×�×� ק×�ש×� ×�×� ×�ש×�×�×� ×�×�ר×� ×�ת ×¢×�×� ×�שר×�×� ×�×�ת ×�×�×�×�×� ×�שר × ×ª×ª×� ×�× ×� ×�×�שר × ×©×�עת ×�×�×�×�ת×�× ×� ×�רץ ×�×�ת ×�×�×� ×�×�×�ש.
Look down from your lofty dwelling in the heavens and bless your nation of Israel and the land that you gave us as you promised our fathers, a land flowing in milk and honey.
