Remembering Tim Lee 

by Jeffrey Haveson

This week we lost an important member of our community.

On Wednesday, August 12th, Tim Lee was laid to rest at Evergreen Cemetery in Hillside.

For many years, Tim was the synagogue photographer, documenting every event at Ahavas Sholom, where it was permissible to use a camera.

He was a board member of the Jewish Museum of New Jersey, and a contributor to the Museum’s Synagogues of Newark exhibit, taking all the contemporary pictures of the synagogue buildings, most of which are now used for other purposes.

He was the creator and a former editor of the current iteration of the Ahavas Newsletter, the Scroll.  He was a consummate journalist, who searched for interesting local, national and international Jewish news stories to be included in the Newsletter.

He was one of eight adult Jewish people who on Saturday, March 16, 2019, celebrated being B’nai Mitzvah, by leading Shabbat Morning Services, reading Torah and Haftorah, and talking about the week’s Parashah, all under the watchful eye of Rabbi Simon Rosenbach.  In addition to Tim, the group included Linda Bloom, Alla Eicheldinger, Wanda Rubinstein Gohler, Daviyd Hawkins, Marianne Moy, Joan Podnos, and Flora Sonners.

This group was made up of men and women from different backgrounds, most in their 60’s, who have been waiting a lifetime for this opportunity. Some were born outside the US, some were born into another religion, and some were just never given this opportunity, as a 12 or 13 year old.

On the occasion of his Bar Mitzvah Tim wrote, “In Jewish tradition there is an adage that the wealthy man is he who is satisfied with his lot; it is added quickly, that this only applies to material things in a material world and that one should never be satisfied spiritually.

“Spiritually, one should always be seeking, exploring, and thirsting for more, like the prospectors of the old west, chipping away at dirt and rock; gently brushing away the resulting fragments to examine closely whatever lay beneath and then, chipping some more. Day after day (sometimes year after year) they’re out there digging a little deeper and a little more fervently for that precious nugget. That some became rich, while others went insane, proved little deterrent to those persons locked in the quest for their vaunted treasure.

“It seems I too have fallen victim to this affliction. But, the nuggets I seek are not to be found in the ground; but in the weekly Shabbat services at Congregation Ahavas Sholom. Shabbat services are very important to me, giving me a sense of peace and purpose that’s very much needed after enduring another week of the uncontrollable chaos that is this world. The treasure I seek is a deeper understanding of the liturgy and service structure.

“The profound wisdom found in the words of the Torah text is nothing less than gold. Every time I dig a little deeper into the meaning and structure of the service I am rewarded; But, I don’t feel I understand enough, there is more to learn, much more, so the search continues.

Our creative artist, Tim, who created with both his mind and hands, took the Hebrew name Bezalel, after the builder of the Tabernacle, of whom G-d said in Exodus Chapter 31, Verses 2-5, “See, I have singled out by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.  I have endowed him with a divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge in every kind of craft; to make designs for work in gold, silver, and copper, to cut stones for setting and to carve wood—to work in every kind of craft.”

If you have any memories, stories, or thoughts about Tim that you would like to share, please join us on Shabbat.  Those of us who knew him will say Kaddish and during lunch we will share our memories of Tim Bezalel Lee.  If you have some stories, but are unable to come, please email them to ahavassholomnewark@gmail.com. If we get them before Saturday, we will share them at Kiddush, but, either way we will share them with his family.

If you have any questions, call Jeff at 973-207-3095.