2019 MARCH 5779
INSIDE
Smith Assists Families of Victims in Tragic Pittsburgh Shootings By Larry Berman s soon as Michael D. Smith learned about directors who volunteered to assist. Mike is active in the tragic shootings at the Tree of Life KAVOD, the Independent Jewish Funeral Chapels Congregation in Pittsburgh last October, he Association, and still checks in with Sharon Brody by knew exactly what he had to do. phone or text to see how she and the community are He called his friend, Sharon Brody, a funeral director coping. in Pittsburgh, and asked, “Can you use my help?” “I didn’t do it for the recognition,” said Smith, Sharon, who was handling but when word got out the arrangements for nine about his volunteer effort, of the eleven victims, he received hundreds of responded affirmatively. appreciative emails and “So I booked a flight phone calls. “It’s just what and a hotel, rented a car I do.” In fact, he assisted other and I stayed for three days helping with whatever funeral directors in the I could do,” said Smith, aftermath of the Station the president of Shalom Night Club fire in West Memorial Chapel in Warwick when 100 people Cranston for the past 20 perished in 2003, and he years. worked with the FBI after He assisted with an EgyptAir crash in 1999 Michael Smith and his wife Marilyn when 217 people were paperwork, helped out killed off of Nantucket. at five of the funerals, A Touro member since 1984, he was the last handled parking details and consoled families and friends of the victims at the gravesites. association president before the two lodges were created “I was there for whomever needed comforting, in 1990 and then the first Friendship Lodge president. including the funeral directors,” said Smith, a member Mike Smith is proud to let people know that he is now of Touro’s Board of Directors. “It was one of the the oldest board member at age 74. saddest events I have ever been involved with, and “My involvement with Touro is an extension of how I hopefully there will never be anything like it again.” live my life,” he said proudly. “If there is a call to action, He was one of three East Coast Jewish funeral I’m there.”
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Touro Continues to Give page 4
"Warm-up Guy" page 5
Lox & Bologna page 6
Roma and the Meeting Street Child Musical Bingo page 6
By Howard Wassar
T
ouro members braved the cold and light snow to attend the February 20 meeting at Roma on Federal Hill. The word Roma actually has a Hebrew origin which means “exalted and lofty.” If you came early, there was pizza being passed around, which was followed by a buffet of chicken francaise and New England baked cod, along with pasta, vegetables, salad and Italian bread. Good food that everyone enjoyed! John M. Kelly, president and CEO of Meeting Street, was the guest speaker. He has been at Meeting Street for more than 20 years and the Continued on page 3 - Roma
Chanukah Party page 7 ~1~
John M. Kelly