Hagaon Hacham Mordechai Eliyahu z.s.l.

By: Pnina Souid

How does one honor a person who honors others?

It’s a tough call, but Magen David Yeshiva, together with family and friends of Mickey and Pat Kairey, came up with a solution. On Sunday, June 6^th, the Mickey and Pat Kairey Wall of Tribute at Magen David Yeshiva was unveiled amidst words of praise, song, and a warm atmosphere that exuded from the honoree to all present.

The most apt title for Mickey Kairey would be “Transmitter of the Tradition.” He works with community members at every stage of the life cycle, guaranteeing that future generations will be able to follow the beloved Syrian-Sephardic minhagim (customs) and continue to keep them alive, preventing any broken links in the chain of a glorious heritage.

Pat Kairey, a.h., always stood together with Mickey, enabling him to accomplish all that he has for the Syrian community. He stated very proudly that 50 percent of all the credit for his work goes to his beloved wife and partner.

At the unveiling of the wall in the lobby, Avi Adjmi spoke about how the idea of the Wall of Tribute came to be. He and Jeff Sutton were looking for a way to honor Mickey and Pat for their humility and acts of kindness which will always be treasured, and the Wall of Tribute seemed like the most fitting way to honor this special couple.

Eddie Esses told the crowd that Mickey always taught and encouraged his Bar Missvah students with the words, “You can do it, you can do it.”

Rabbi Saul Kassin reminded everyone of the words of the Gemara (Masechet Kedushin), “One who teaches a child Torah is considered as the parent of the child.” Thus, Mickey has an untold number of children in the community.

Rabbi Shlomo Lankry shared many stories about Mickey’s concern and love for every Jew.  He is a true “ohev shalom verodef shalom – lover of peace and pursuer of peace.”

One story told took place during World War II. One of Mickey’s friends, another American soldier from the Syrian community, admitted to Mickey that he was afraid to go out to the battlefield. Mickey found a hiding place for him until the time of danger had passed. This man is still alive today.

Rabbi Lankry regards Mickey as a second father and tries to spend as much time with him as possible. A woman once asked him if he was Mickey’s son, and how many sons Mickey had. He replied, “He has 9,999,999 sons.”

Rabbi Eli Mansour noted that remarkably, Rabbi Lankry and Mickey Kairey are the happiest people he knows, and yet they spend a good deal of their day involved with the hesed shel emet (proper Jewish burials).

Rabbi Mansour related that he always takes his sons to see Mickey when he is in Florida. The boys love to go and are not satisfied with just one visit. They prayed where Mickey was hazan and he did not repeat one tune.

The featured speaker was Mickey himself. He joked that he was told to remember that on June 6^th he must take a haircut and wear a silk tie. Mickey spoke from the heart and his words were recorded in the pamphlet on everyone’s seat.

“My greatest joys have been teaching the children in our community, and I think you’d understand when I say they were kinda like my own children. I have so many children, they would fill Yankee Stadium, and the cheering, instead of coming from the crowd, it’s come from me, the coach. You all make me proud of ya, you really do.”