Memorial Services for Linda Bernstein
Schedule:
- Memorial Services @ Temple Shalom, Sunday Dec 11, 2011 7-8pm
- Reception after Services (please rsvp below, or via email/phone/etc) at the temple
- Shiva at the family home, 4-7pm Mon Dec 12 – 14th and will conclude with a traditional prayer.
Family Info:
- Husband: Alan
- Eldest Daughter: Janine
- Son: Nick
- Younger Daughter: Emily
Home phone: 781.639.2718
Addresses:
Home 19 Tufts St. Marblehead, MA 01945 Synagogue Temple Shalom 287 Lafayette St. Salem, MA 0197Overview:
Currently, we are planning on having a memorial service at Temple Shalom, 287 Lafayette St. Salem, MA 01970, followed by a gathering of friends and family after the services. Following the Jewish tradition, the family will be practicing the jewish ritual morning called “shivah” Monday through Wednesday.
While it includes a morning and evening prayer, it is largely traditional, and all are welcome to join us during this time, regardless of your beliefs. It is simply a time to come together in our grief. Our home will be open to all who wish to stop by.
About Shiva:
It is considered a great mitzvah (literally “commandment” but usually interpreted as “good deed”) of kindness and compassion to pay a home visit (make or pay a shiva call) to the mourners, a practice known as Nichum Aveilim.
Upon leaving the shiva house, visitors recite a traditional phrase: “May God comfort you among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem” (transliterated as Hamakom y’nachem etchem b’toch sh’ar aveylei tziyon viyrusholayim). In the Sephardic tradition, visitors say: “May heaven comfort you” (Tenachamu Min Hashamayim).
It is considered a mitzvah for visitors to bring prepared foods for the mourners. The mourner is not expected or obligated to serve food to the visitors (we will have food and snacks available), who may eat only if offered food by the mourner. For simplicity, please bring vegetarian food or platters, if you would like to bring foods.
Please do not feel constrained by any of these customs, our greatest comfort is your presence. We understand that people may be unable to attend the Sunday funeral, and a large part of shiva is to give those people the opportunity to visit and pay their respects.
For more information on shiva:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva_(Judaism)
- http://www.ehow.com/how_12302_pay-shiva-call.html
Flowers & Gifts
In lieu of flowers and gifts, please instead consider donating to either or both of the following charities in her name:
- NS Animal shelter: http://www.animalleague.org/
- Hospice of the NS & Greater Boston: http://www.hns.org/
Photos
If anyone would like photographs to remember my mother by, you can download some print resolution images using the following link. These can then be taken to wallgreens/costco/cvs or anywhere digital printing is done. You should be able to safely print any of these images up to 8×10, and most larger.
If you have any photos you would care to share, you can email me photos @ nicholasbernstein .co m, or feel free to bring copies of any you would like to share to our house during shiva.
Videos
Prior to her passing, I sat down with my mother to do a series of interviews about her life. Unfortunately, we were unable to finish, but for those of you who would like to hear her voice again, you can view these from any browser, below. My apologies for the poor audio quality when asking questions.
The videos and pictures are wonderful. Happy times. Cathy ,my mom and I will be there. Love you all.
Gail
What a wonderful narrative Linda has done. Thank you Nick. I was present for some ot those times, but absent for many of those times. We will definitly see you on Sunday.
I supervised Linda at Bayridge Hospital from 2008-2010-what a pleasure! Linda had a peaceful soul and was a solice to so many
and always listened with an open heart which was truely a gift to so many. Linda will be missed by so many. Thank you for this website. I will be at the service Sunday night.
Thinking of Linda, her family and all her friends that loved her.
I will be at the service on Sunday. Thank you Nick for this wonderful website.
I miss you my friend, and will carry a piece of you forever in my heart. Ilana xo
I am completely heart broken about hearing of linda’s passing. I had the pleasure to work, supervise and be friends with linda in our many years together at Bayridge hospital. I use to call her “Saint Linda” as she had so much compassion and empathy for those who suffer with addictions. I learned a great deal from her, she will be so missed.I hope to be at the services on Sunday.
Linda is Lady Love and Grace, always giving us something profound and delightful. Someone said: “There are some who bring a light so great to the world that even after they have gone, the light remains”. And that is Linda. I miss her greatly, yet sense her sparkling blue eyed presence about…
I will be there Sunday evening, (and hope to download the latest flash player so i can see these videos!) Thank you for this wonderful site.
Linda had such a beautiful smile and a light in her eyes. I will treasure our last visit with her this past summer in Boston. It was evident how much love she had for her family and how much joy you all brought her. Love and prayers. xoxo
Dearest Alan, Janine, Emily and Nick, and to all of Linda’s loved ones:
Linda brought a pure light of joy and love into this world and into my life. Her love, care, and Reiki energy saved me when I was very sick, and her laughter and positive energy fortify me as I go forward. The world is graced by Linda’s life, and I am deeply grateful for our enduring connection.
Dear Alan, Janine, Nicholas and Emily. Perhaps you’ll remember me. Bob and I knew you all back in earlier days, in Winthrop, before both families moved to opposite shores (we went South and a bit later you went north). Linda and all of you were such a part of my daughter’s early years. Beautiful Emily, you and Aisling were friends when you were small children. And Nicholas, I remember you as the older brother with the most beautiful smile and teeth. And Jeanine, how proud your mom was of you even back that. She just delighted in who each of you were –your own special selves. I think it always amazed her that you were hers. I so fondly remember our times in your backyard, and a visit or two even here on the South Shore, birthday parties. I love looking at those pictures. Our last outing together was at the Isabella Gardner Museum, which you might remember Emily. I believe it was just before or after that that you all moved north and distance, and probably Linda’s incredible involvement with learning and work and family and me with my own endeavors and family, I suppose…let us drift apart. It always made me sad as Linda was such a peaceful, kind, witty friend. I loved that she got the humor of life, while being so sensitive to the pains of life. I have thought of her often, always hoping we’d somehow connect again. It is hard for me to imagine you, Nicholas (so capable, obviously, in handling the incredible web site in honor of your mom, and Emily…all grown up. I still see your blond-headed sweetness and Nicholas’ dark hair and eyes (at least in my memory), from those many afternoon visits all those years back, and how poised you seemed Janine, at an early age. Alan, of course Bob and I remember you and Linda with such fondness and send condolences to all of you. Somehow I can’t open the interviews, but I will keep trying as I so remember Linda’s soft voice and would love to hear it again. Loving thoughts to you, Donna (and Bob and Aisling)
We will attend the service. We both worked with Linda at BayRidge and we miss her terribly. She lived on a higher spiritual plane than us and of that we are in awe.
Linda and I worked together for many years at Bayridge. She was the most WONDERFUL person. I will forever treasure her energy, spirit and friendship. I will hope to be at the services on Sunday
My condolences on the loss of a wonderful woman, wife and mother. Kristen Yanow and I will be attending the Memorial Service. Our hearts, thoughts, prayers and hugs are with you.