Tuesday, May 22, 2007



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Shavout

Once again, a holiday rolls around, part of the continuous cycle of living, I will light a Yarzheit candle for Judah, Seymour, my mother, my mother in law and my father in law. Its like looking at a photo that is brown at the edges but there is a ray of light that draws you in. You search the photo for details that are lost in the denseness of the col orations. There is always a halo of longing and sadness surrounding any celebration.

Alissa Benji and I just returned from a fabulous trip to Tanzania visiting three large conservation reserves. Dr. Shriner, from Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, runs an Aids clinic in Arusha Tanzania. Judah had always wanted to go with her on her annual trips to the clinic but he was not well enough to go. Last year, at Huntington's Memorial lecture to honor Judah's memory, Dr. Shriner presented us with a beautiful Maasai basket with earth from the Serengeti plane, where she wished Judah a "Safe Journey" in Swahili. This year we went to the same spot. We also met with Ezekhiel a Maasai tribe member, who Dr. Shriner though her foundation is sending to Medical School in Dar Es Salam. Ezekhiel shares some of the attributes of dedication and compassion for his patients with Judah.

I used the camera that Judah had asked Benji to get for me while he was in the hospital. Even inanimate objects bring Judah close by. Here of photos of lions we took. In fact, Judah's spirit is so like the Lions, they
are social, love to eat, then love to spend the rest of day in sheer bliss of napping in the sunshine.

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Project Judah

Last Sunday at the Israel Independence Day Festival in Woodley Park we registered over 75 people to be on the National Bone Marrow and Stem Cell donor list. We think this is a great success. Thanks to Dave N. Mike, Alissa, Barak . This is the first of many planned for this year.
The City of Hope registrars were just the best.

It was hard and emotional. Judah's story was front and center at our booth. Many people from the community came up and expressed their sadness at Judah's passing. Yet, we all know that Judah wanted more people to become involved. We only hope that soon there will be a cure for theses diseases that require stem cell transplants. In the meantime we need to increase the donor data base.

Judah would have enjoyed the scene. Lots of people milling around, all sizes, shapes, ethnicity was predominately but not exclusively Israeli. Food was good, music was loud, and even now women flocked to him. Three lovely women came to register and were taken by his photo and his story. They also were medical residents having graduated from Sackler medical school where Judah got his degree.

I can see him sitting there with his blue eyes just enjoying the moment.

Martha