May, 2024
Dear Miriam and Aharon and family,
You were the first of my really close friends to have a baby. I waited anxiously to hear the news of Zechariah’s birth. When I did hear the news, I immediately ran to Lord & Taylor with Sheryl Galler to buy him a few things. I can still see the one piece winter jacket we bought him.
I first met Zechariah in my apartment on 112th Street. I was not feeling well so you held him up for me to see - a scrawny red-faced newborn who was crying. It would be the last time that I would see him like that – honestly, I never saw him cry again after that.
The scrawny baby turned into a round toddler with the chubbiest cheeks. You used to tell me how he would squirrel away food in his cheeks for hours. After 2L finals, I brought him cupcakes with lots of frosting. We put him in his high chair and watched his pure joy at eating the cupcakes and making a mess. Already then, he had an unlimited zest for life, and even then – the simple things in life.
My greatest thrill was when you asked me to babysit for him when your grandmother was sick. I had grand plans for us. We started out at the pizza shop in Riverdale. He insisted on sitting next to me – not across for me – and we both ate our pizza quietly, like a bunch of old timers. At the time I thought that he was an old soul. In hindsight, I realized that in fact he was an easygoing calm personality. He went with the flow. He didn’t know me too well but he had no problem being with me. And he had no issues somehow making it clear to me (without crying even once) that he wanted to go to sleep when we got back to my apartment (no, he did not want to go to the park, no he did want to play with toys, no matter how much I tried). Again, no tears – he just crawled up on the couch and went to sleep.
During law school, he became our token baby. I remember a long drive to go fruit picking We put his car seat in the middle of the fields and he was just one of us. We all assumed that he would join in whatever we were doing at the moment, and so did he.
Over the years, Joseph and I would meet Zechariah at various Haber smachot. And when we went to your house for shabbat or did family activities together, he was always friendly to Joseph, me (and my children). He would approach me not only to say hello, but to really talk.
You were so excited when he met Talia. It sounded (and proved to be the case) that they were a perfect match. The wedding was such joy; it was wonderful to see his happiness and excitement. He insisted on a Friday morning wedding – always walking to the beat of his own drum and knowing what he wanted. It was the first Friday morning wedding I attended. On the way home, I told Joseph that everyone needs to learn from Zechariah and Talia – Friday morning is the right amount of time and the perfect time to make a wedding. I enjoyed every moment of it. Even at his own wedding, Zechariah stopped and really talked to me, despite all that was going on.
Of course, like every good mother you would fret about some of his decisions but he proved you wrong time and time again. And I would share in your joy at every one of his milestones – both professional and personal.
Over the last few months, what I have realized is that, yes Zechariah was full of joy. He was unbelievably calm. He took things in stride. And he had no airs about himself, despite being an extraordinarily talented human being. At the same time, he always knew what he wanted – whether that was to go to sleep rather than play, a Friday morning wedding or a trip abroad with Talia right after the chagim. But his determination was never displayed by tantrums (literally or otherwise) or condescension, but with charm and openness and friendliness. And always with that winning smile that went to the core of his soul.
I have given you my memories.
With all my love, Mireet (and Joseph)