Obituary for Gordon Goldman
Gordon Goldman, age 95. Loving father of Vivian (Nathan) Bloch; proud grandfather of Benjamin (Adela), Naomi, and Aaron Bloch, and great-grandfather of Gracie and Leo Bloch; devoted son of the late Abraham and Ida (Borsuk) Goldman; dear brother of the late Harry (Jane) Goldman and the late Sol Goldman; fond uncle of Sue Weiss and the late Gail Collins, Lisa Fredrickson, and many great nieces and nephews. World War II US Navy veteran. Dedicated math teacher at Kelvyn Park High School for 33 years. Gordon was a global traveler, life master duplicate bridge player, family genealogist and avid lover of theater, opera, ballet, music and movies. Graveside funeral service Sunday, August 25th, 2023, 2 PM at Waldheim Cemetery-Fastover section, gate #71, Roosevelt Rd West of Des Plaines Ave, South of 290, Forest Park. Family and friend who cannot attend the funeral can view it on Gordon’s webpage at www.mitzvahfunerals.com live, or any time after the funeral. Contributions in Gordon's name to the Illinois Holocaust Museum www.ilholocaustmuseum.org or charity of your choice. Info 630-MITZVAH 630-648-9824
Benjamins Eulogy
Grandpa’s Hebrew name, Gershon, was the name of one of the three sons of Levi, Yaakov’s son and one of the twelve tribes. While the Leviim did not serve in the Temple as priests, they were given caretaker roles for the important ornaments of the Temple. When the Jewish people were in the Wilderness for 40 years, the Leviim were tasked with caring for the Mishkan, the temporary Tabernacle that served as G-d’s home before the more permanent Temple was built in Jerusalem. The biblical Gershon was assigned the job of caring for the Yeriot; the tapestries, carpets and rugs that adorned and covered the Mishkan while the Jews traveled through the Wilderness.
While the tapestries and other hangings were not viewed as the glorious parts of the Mishkan, they served a central purpose of providing structure, protection, and demarcation of holy spaces. As a math teacher who loved geometry and the rules of angles, divisions, and segmentation, Grandpa would have appreciated the role of the tapestries and their functional beauty. He was never one to seek out the spotlight and be the center of attention; most often, he preferred to sit quietly on the couch and listen as we told him about our activities and school events. Like the tapestries in the Mishkan, Grandpa’s presence was calming; enfolding us in a safe environment where we felt comfortable.
Grandpa also appreciated the fine arts – he was an avid ballet and opera fan, and my early exposure to these performances were usually in his company. While I often had trouble following the plot (it was in Italian or some other Latin language after all) I did learn to appreciate the intricate beauty of the dancer’s movements, as well as the opulent costumes that adorned the performers. In some sense, an appreciation for this style of entertainment is intertwines with a legacy of the Gershonite Levites, who must have deeply appreciated the intricacy of the textiles of the Mishkan with their vivid colors and patterns that enhanced the beauty of the ritual performance of serving God in the Mishkan. When he first moved to Brookdale independent living, Grandpa set out to found and curate the “Culture Club”, where he showed weekly tapes of famous operas, ballets, and classic musicals to any residents who were interested. Grandpa always wanted to share his love for the fine arts with all and he sought to imbue the lives of others with the grace and grandeur of those performances.
Grandpa was a champion Bridge player who inspired me to learn the game at a young age. A ten year old Bridge player was a bit of a novelty in the era of video games, but Grandpa’s stack of carefully cut newspaper Bridge columns that he always brought me when he visited challenged me to solve the puzzles and hone my skills as best I could. Knowing that he was thinking of me and saving up the daily column helped bridge the distance between visits.
It is my hope that Grandpa’s legacy and memory will inspire all of us to admire the beauty of our surroundings, appreciate the quiet grace of a dancer’s intricate movements, find comfort and partnership in tradition, and care for the spaces around us so that everyone can gain a deeper connection with each other and with Hashem.
Benjamins Eulogy
Grandpa’s Hebrew name, Gershon, was the name of one of the three sons of Levi, Yaakov’s son and one of the twelve tribes. While the Leviim did not serve in the Temple as priests, they were given caretaker roles for the important ornaments of the Temple. When the Jewish people were in the Wilderness for 40 years, the Leviim were tasked with caring for the Mishkan, the temporary Tabernacle that served as G-d’s home before the more permanent Temple was built in Jerusalem. The biblical Gershon was assigned the job of caring for the Yeriot; the tapestries, carpets and rugs that adorned and covered the Mishkan while the Jews traveled through the Wilderness.
While the tapestries and other hangings were not viewed as the glorious parts of the Mishkan, they served a central purpose of providing structure, protection, and demarcation of holy spaces. As a math teacher who loved geometry and the rules of angles, divisions, and segmentation, Grandpa would have appreciated the role of the tapestries and their functional beauty. He was never one to seek out the spotlight and be the center of attention; most often, he preferred to sit quietly on the couch and listen as we told him about our activities and school events. Like the tapestries in the Mishkan, Grandpa’s presence was calming; enfolding us in a safe environment where we felt comfortable.
Grandpa also appreciated the fine arts – he was an avid ballet and opera fan, and my early exposure to these performances were usually in his company. While I often had trouble following the plot (it was in Italian or some other Latin language after all) I did learn to appreciate the intricate beauty of the dancer’s movements, as well as the opulent costumes that adorned the performers. In some sense, an appreciation for this style of entertainment is intertwines with a legacy of the Gershonite Levites, who must have deeply appreciated the intricacy of the textiles of the Mishkan with their vivid colors and patterns that enhanced the beauty of the ritual performance of serving God in the Mishkan. When he first moved to Brookdale independent living, Grandpa set out to found and curate the “Culture Club”, where he showed weekly tapes of famous operas, ballets, and classic musicals to any residents who were interested. Grandpa always wanted to share his love for the fine arts with all and he sought to imbue the lives of others with the grace and grandeur of those performances.
Grandpa was a champion Bridge player who inspired me to learn the game at a young age. A ten year old Bridge player was a bit of a novelty in the era of video games, but Grandpa’s stack of carefully cut newspaper Bridge columns that he always brought me when he visited challenged me to solve the puzzles and hone my skills as best I could. Knowing that he was thinking of me and saving up the daily column helped bridge the distance between visits.
It is my hope that Grandpa’s legacy and memory will inspire all of us to admire the beauty of our surroundings, appreciate the quiet grace of a dancer’s intricate movements, find comfort and partnership in tradition, and care for the spaces around us so that everyone can gain a deeper connection with each other and with Hashem.