We Call All be one of the 36: In Tribute to Rabbi Alvin Marcus

Thank you for inviting me to share a few words of tribute tonight in memory of Rabbi Marcus. Diane and I wish so much comfort to you Marilyn, your family and the community. Rabbi Marcus made an indelible impact on my life and the life of our family and we are forever grateful for his friendship, wisdom, trust, patience and love. 

I had the honor of serving as his assistant for the first four years of my rabbinic career. When asked what I learned most from him, I will answer with a brief story. 

Judaism teaches that at any given moment there are 36 righteous people who sustain the world. The walk with modesty, in anonymity and with a deep commitment to serving others. 

The Israeli novelist Chaim Be’er shared that when he was 9 years old he had a conversation with the Tzaddik of Jerusalem, Rabbi Aryeh Levine that changed his life. He asked Rabbi Levine whether he was one of the 36 righteous people that sustain the world. Rabbi Levine paused for a moment and answered the following: Lifamim - Sometimes, LeKamah Dakot, for a few moments, veGam Ata Yachol Lehiyot, You can be one of them too. 

Those words ignited Chaim for life. Rabbi Marcus ignited that belief in me too. I felt inspired and empowered with the realization that we are not responsible to change the world but that we possess the power and sacred task to change the world of one person. We can be one of the 36 righteous people even if just for a few moments every day.

Rabbi Marcus believed that God is in the details, every human being is created in God’s image and the most important role of a Rabbi is as a conduit for kindness.  

My mind is flooded with so many memories. 

As an assistant Rabbi Marucs, even the most mundane of tasks could be holy. From ordering paper goods from Presser to overseeing the shul construction which he tasked me with one summer. I will never forget Rabbi Marcus telling me Dani - you are in charge as he left the trailer office to go to Israel for the summer. I have many memories of riding in his car and pulling out nails and hammer on a late Friday afternoon to fix the eruv board on Route 10. I am forever grateful for his giving me the latitude to discover my calling for outreach. He kept me by his side for meetings of conversions, kashrut, Board of Rabbis, and so much more. He looked after me like a son and will always remember his kindness when we went to the hospital before Sara Malka was born and brought us food for Shabbos. 

The world is diminished with his passing but so much brighter because of his life and everyone he inspired. He ignited something inside of me that grows every day. He embodied a beautiful idea of the Kotzker Rebbe who explained that we should view giving ourselves to God and our community as one flame lighting another. We are not diminished in any way. Giving to another human being and to God is not a zero sum game but rather an opportunity to spread more light in the world and we burn even brighter. 

Rabbi Marcus, I miss you and we all miss you. Know that you will live in us and through us every day and your memory will be a blessing and inspiration always.