Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Yaakov was my dedicated chavruta from 2000 to 2003. We generally learned together before mincha on Shabbat. The Shabbat after I came back from my first trip to Israel in September 2003, we were walking together after learning and he invited me to help make a minyan at the kollel nearby. As I was the 10th man and the new guy, and there was no Cohen available, they gave me the first aliyah. They unrolled the Sefer Torah and there before my eyes was Lech Lecha - get up and go to the land which I will show you. That same week I had been given a layoff notice from the job I'd held for three years, and had first considered moving to Israel. I took it as a sign that it might be the right time to go. I made aliyah to Israel a few months later, and have been here for more than 20 years. Yaakov helped us manage renting out our Denver house long distance for several more years until we finally sold it. He never took a penny for all his help. We couldn't have done it without him. I miss learning with Yaakov and the incredible stories that came with it. With love and affection, Ed Truitt
