Dave Tanzman ז''ל

David Tanzman died last week at the age of 97. It was almost instantaneous, and apparently without any pain or suffering.  As his son in law said, like the midrash of God's kiss for Moshe.

I've never watched a funeral online before today, but I felt I had to for Dave.  It was the smallest of tributes I could pay from Jerusalem for a great man.

I think many of you shared with me the honor of knowing Dave.  Dave knew he was smart (and boy was he!), and he could spot a phony or self-important person a mile a way, but he was still somehow humble.  More than that, Dave had a huge capacity for hakarat hatov, for gratitude/recognizing the good.  Not only in what God granted him, but in acknowledging those around him.  He made everyone feel special.  

Dave's biography was as exceptional as his personality.  (A personal favorite anecdote: when asked the strangest place he ever put on tefillin, Dave answered without missing a beat: "Belgium, December, 1944. Battle of the Bulge.")  And he was blessed with the most amazing memory I have ever encountered, which allowed him to share his stories in great detail.  

Dave was a pillar of Detroit's Modern Orthodox community, and it is no exaggeration to say that Akiva (now Farber-Yeshivat Akiva) may not have been founded and certainly might not exist today if it were not for the often herculean efforts of Dave over many years.  During my presidency of Akiva's board I often turned to Dave for history, guidance, advice, or just a shoulder to kvetch on.  I never walked away without having benefited from time spent with him.

Dave's wonderful wife Lottie died a couple of months ago, just short of their 75th anniversary.  A couple of people during the service mentioned how Dave did not die, as common wisdom would have it, from a broken heart.  He was still looking forward to new experiences, including a visit to children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren during Sukkot, and an impending move back to new New York after more than a half a century living in Detroit.  And that was Dave, a man who continued to work into his 90s, continued to learn, and try to grow up to his final days.

Thank you for indulging me in this outpouring.  Other than Dave's commitment to Zionism and the State of Israel, this post doesn't really fit the purported theme of our blog, but I do feel the need to honor Dave's memory in as many ways as possible.  I hope you will join me in sending good thoughts and prayers to Dave's family at this time.  His memory is truly a blessing for all who knew him.