From: Israel P <IsraelP@pikholz.org>
To: @PIKHOLZ.PML
Subject: A memorial
Reply-to: IsraelP@pikholz.org
Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2006 18:50:24 +0200

Dear Pikholz Cousins (and a few bcc'd others),
 
A few months ago, I received an email from Yael Leopold, the daughter of
Pikholz descendant Estelle Fink (IF4 family).  This was my first actual
contact with any of the Finks, though I am in contact with some of
Estelle's first cousins.  Yael, who lives in upstate New York, had an
unusual request of me.  She has given me permission to tell you this
story.
 
When her father, Marvin Leopold, died, his body was cremated, contrary
the wishes of the family.  Now - twelve years later - she wanted to
bring the ashes to Israel for burial.  Could I perhaps help her?  So
after checking out both the halachic aspects and the technical side, we
set up to do it.  Originally we thought to have the burial in Jerusalem,
but in the end we decided to have it in Kefar Etzion, near where I live.
(We already have one Pikholz grave in Kefar Etzion, from the Brezdowitz
family - who were quite close to Yael's great-grandparents and some of
them even traveled together to the US after WWI.)
 
Tuesday, we gathered at the cemetery.  Along with Yael were her sister
Allison and her two sons Spencer and Justin, as well as a close family
friend.  Allison and the boys had never been to Israel before.  The spot
we had arranged is accessible to Allison's sons, who are kohanim and
therefore not permitted to come near an actual grave.  Spencer and
Justin dug the grave for their grandfather, Meir ben Yosef HaLevi, and
we all covered it with earth.  It was not a full-fledged funeral, of
course, but we did what the situation called for and the grave is now
well-marked by a temporary set of stones.
 
Afterwards, they came back to our house to visit.
 
Later that day, I told this story to Gadi Pickholz, whose grandfather
Berisch was the younger brother of Yael and Allison's great-grandfather
Chaim-Avraham.  I bring Gadi's complete response, word for word:
 
> Rosa Pickholz of Holocaust sainthood yarhzeit is this Friday. I have
always
> used it as the unofficial Pickholz Yom HaShoah as it clearly was  the
largest
> aktion involving Pickholzes, and because her story is  famous.
>   
> You should let the larger family list know and hopefully a few will
light
> a yahrzeit candle. No one buried her ashes in kfar etzion.

Gadi's point - while certainly not detracting from what we did Tuesday -
is well-taken.
 
See Rosa's story at http://pikholz.org/Shoah/Skalat_Rosa.htm

Israel P. 

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