On the 2nd Yahrzeit of Eliezer ben Naftali Hertz

14th of Shevat

Eliezer ben Naftali Hertz, my friend
Louis Sneh, died last night.  
He was 90 something, I didn’t 
Pay attention to that; his
Journeys, his hopes, pains, 
Sorrows, optimism, held my
Attention, as he’d speak of 
His Hungarian village and retrieving, 
Decades after deportation to the German
Annihilation factory, the Torah scroll
From which he was bar mitzvah’ed; 
Or off the boat in ‘48, and armed, off to the
Front facing the Arab Legion’s onslaught;
Or collecting Leica cameras, commemorating
The heroes.  There is more to his story, 
Some of which I know, most of which 
I don’t. 

He was for me a last living link, gone
And now we’ve only a few left, and 
Books, transcripts, tapes, audio, movies, 
To remember, zachor, zachor.  The breath
Of testimony grows more shallow, and 
Now the duty of memory, more and 
More, rest on those who are distant from
The event, yet witnesses to the witnesses.  

We who loved Louis, and we are still
Many, will try to do our best, as his 
Surrogates, to remember and to testify,
To read Torah in 
Devotion to the One, and to honor 
All the memories, 
Louis’ too.  
Baruch Dayan HaEmet. 

Louis Sneh died on my daughter’s birthday;
He told me at the shiva that
His feelings at her funeral 
Matched the
His feelings when
Liberated. 

Baruch Dayan HaEmet;
Blessed is the true Judge;
May his soul be settled in
The supernal heights.