Eulogy

January 6, 2001
Timora passed away peacefully about an hour before candle-lighting on Friday.

The funeral will take place on Sunday, January 7, at 14:00 at the Beit Hesped* of the Giv'at Shaul cemetery. The shiv'a** will be at our apartment.

Thank you all for your kindness and love.

With love,
Sara

*Beit Hesped – funeral chapel.
**Shiv'a - the seven days of mourning prescribed by Jewish tradition.

January 7, 2006

Eulogy for Our Daughter Timora
Timora, many, many people had the privilege of loving you. We, your immediate family, your extended family, your friends, your teachers. You were a warm and loving daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend to us. We have no words to describe our deep feelings, now that you have been taken from us and this world.

We have no words – and yet at the same time, we have only words, and we hope with all of our hearts that you hear us from your new world, which truly may not be described.

Timora, we not only loved you, we admired you.

We admired your independence – your independent and intelligent opinions, and your desire and success in being and remaining yourself and only yourself, at every age and in every period of your life.

We admired your principles, and especially your sense of justice, which guided your opinions and your deeds.

We admired your merciful nature, and the respect that you gave to every human being as a human being, and to all creatures; you were unable to kill even an insect, for you would say, “We can't know that it doesn't have feelings like ours.”

We admired your bravery, when you would stand up for justice, as you saw it, even when your stand went against the mainstream, and even against people who were in a position of authority and power over you.

And we admired your strong and deep intellect, your never-ending creativity, and the sense of humor that did not desert you up to the end.

Timora, you could have been almost anything.

You could have been a doctor,
You could have been a poet,
You could have been a singer or a pianist or a composer,
You could have been a psychologist,
You could have been an actress, playwright or director,
You could have been a spiritual healer –

The list is endless. Timora, it hurts us very, very much to know that these things will have to remain in the world of the “could have been.”

What will we do with this thing –
You, who were so independent, were in the end so helpless;
You, who so loved justice, received from life such an unjust portion;
You, who were unable to take the life of any living creature, had your life taken from you so cruelly.

Timora, we have no words for our sorrow.
We are sorrowful that you had to use all of your courage in order to live with your so very bitter fate;
We are sorrowful that you were not given the chance to express even a small part of your intellectual ability and your vast creativity;
And we are sorrowful that in the end, you had to serve as an inspiration to us through your struggle, instead of inspiring us through the endless areas that belong, for you, to the world of the “could have been.”

Timora, we were privileged to love you, and we will continue to love the Timora who was full of life, who has remained in the heart of each and every one of us, and may whose memory be blessed.

I will read to you, in conclusion, a poem that your youngest sister, Ayala, wrote about you and for you.

Everyone Loved Her
Everyone loved her, everyone cared about her,
Her family, the girls to whom she was a counselor, and her friends, who still admire her.
Yes, this is Timora, in whose company we always wanted to be,
A rose petal that flew away, a flower that was plucked.
Timora, I will say only six words: if only you would return tomorrow.
But the Blessed True Judge has placed you by his seat,
So that when you get to heaven,
It will be better for you than if you were here.

I will never forget you:
Your little sister, Ayala.

(Translated from the Hebrew)

Sara Avitzour
Written and delivered at Timora's funeral
January 7, 2001