Rabbi Koby Gruenwald z”l died this past Friday, January 19, survived by his father and mother, sister and brother. His bereft congregation and community mourned his loss this past Sunday.
He was 13 years old.
Rabbi Koby is remembered for the dignity and kindness he extended to all who crossed his path, his exuberance for life, his quick wit and mischievous fascination with Leonard Cohen’s Halleluyah.
A letter from one of your congregants:
Dear Rabbi:
I cry in bed at night
I used to hold back the tears.
I’m starting now to cherish
My broken Halleluyah.
The brook of tears
melt away barriers
around my heart
I discover
I possess a soul
My holy Halleluyah.
I feel deeply
my humanity
I am intimate
with my sorrow
my capacity for love;
and, strangely,
my soul rejoices
My baffled Halleluyah
Below, Rabbi Joe Black sings a song in memory of Koby.
Donations in honor of Koby can be made at Morgan Adams Foundation, Children’s Hospital of Colorado – Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Roundup River Ranch Camp, Camp Ramah in the Rockies, The Denver Hospice, Denver Jewish Day School, or the Hebrew Educational Alliance.
1 Comment
Anita Khaldy Kehmeier · October 14, 2018 at 10:08 pm
Let it be
speaking works of wisdom, let it be- Koby’s fave song.
I find myself drawn to Koby
In his vivid vows for peace
singing words of wisdom
let it be
let it be
I see my own life come a crashing
when my sons life is frayed
Koby’s mom’s so graceful
in Koby’s singing grace
divine spark
divine spark
divine spark
divine spark
The eclipse is just a shadow
of what can be, yet to be
A pearl of much delight and suffering
in his hands a mollusk prayers
A black pearl of calmness
sabbath prayers
sabbath prayers
He had so many perfect traits
a house of strength
his heart displayed
Hearth of god within me
spirit prayers
spirit prayers
he sits with us in communion
wishing well of what is come to be
bring it forth, birth it forth
work it out,set it free
let it be, let it be
let it be.
speaking his words of wisdom
Let it be, let it be.