Photoessay #794 - Robin

Picture from a DVD played on hotel TV two weeks ago in Lafayette, IN

The late Robin Taback, my sister's childhood best friend who passed away, tragically, of breast cancer in 1994 in her mid 30s when my sister was pregnant with my niece Teresa. Whose bat mitzvah we were all gathered celebrating. Yes, do the math, Teresa is 15 rather than 13. Teresa's middle name is Robin in honor of Robin Taback. A powerful custom in judaism of naming children honoring relatives or friends who have passed away. I still get just a bit uncomfortable hearing babies named after living relatives. Somehow, it does invite the evil eye.

Robin was a tremendously talented singer songwriter. She made aliyah to Israel as an adult, mother of two sons. Always tragic when disease takes a young person well before their time. Her mom LouAnn made the trip to Indiana for Robin's namesake's bat mitxvah. LouAnn has dedicated herself to keeping Robin's music alive and tirelessly promotes her music and songs within the Jewish community and beyond. The first night we were there, we watched this DVD commemorating Robin's life. This shot taken directly from the TV of Robin as a young adult.

Karen, the cantor, on LouAnn's urging learned a version of Sim Shalom and performed it during the bat mitzvah itself much to LouAnn's delight. Above and beyond. I really like that version, used to have the tape of it before sending the tape to Pam. I could almost almost sing the harmony part. It is one of my fondest wishes to be able to sing harmony parts. Alas, I think it's one of the things that you can either do or you can't. I can't.

LouAnn was with us all the time, helping out when we could. My sister had everything three times organized so there wasn't much for us to do. Dennis points out that we did put the placemats on the table. LouAnn and I helped Pam organize the leftovers. Other than that...