Rabbi Howard Morrison

As a young boy, my first synagogue rabbi at the Young Israel of Brookline was Rabbi Emanuel Forman. He was truly my parents' favorite rabbi over the years. By the time I was eight or nine, he had left Brookline for Toronto, where he served at the local Shaarei Shomayim. From there, he made Aliyah, where he served a shul in Netanya, before spending his retirement years in Jerusalem. Rabbi Forman died this past weekend.

My childhood memories of him are vague. A son of his was a classmate of mine for a brief time at the Maimonides Day School. In the mid-1980's, however, I spent a Shabbat with him and his wife and watched him preside at his shul in Netanya, during my rabbinical school year in Israel.

In the early 2000's when I was visiting Brookline on a vacation, I went to Young Israel for Shabbat morning services. Little did I know that Rabbi Forman was in town and was asked to deliver the sermon that day. What a thrill!

Several years ago, I saw him at a Summer program for rabbis at the Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. During one of the sessions, we were asked to break into groups to study some texts as a Chavruta, a small fellowship. One of the fondest memories of my rabbinate was the privilege of studying in the same Chavruta as Rabbi Forman. I will always cherish that experience.

In recent months, I learned that his health was failing. Rabbi Forman died in his nineties after having served Modern Orthodox shuls in Brookline, Toronto, and Netanya.

Just maybe, he is preparing to teach Torah to my parents of blessed memories, and to many others whom he inspired in three different countries during his rabbinate.

Yhi Zichro Baruch - May his memory be a blessing.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Howard Morrison