Teaneck—With hundreds in attendance, the life and legacy of David Frohlich, z”l, was memorialized at Congregation B’nai Yeshurun with the dedication of the David Frohlich z”l Youth Department, coupled with a hachnasat sefer Torah and seudah. Amidst collective tears of both joy and sadness by all who had known David, the event marked the first yahrzeit of a man beloved and respected by those in and out of the Teaneck community.
The morning commenced with many individuals, near and dear to David, z”l, participating in the writing of the last letters of V’Zot HaBracha, bringing the writing of the Torah to a close. After remarks by Rabbi Steven Pruzansky, those present, young and old, danced with the new sefer Torah from the CBY parking lot, around the corner of West Englewood Avenue, and into the shul to the music and pageantry of a hachnasat sefer Torah truck, accompanied by a balloon artist and magician.
The impact of welcoming the Frohlich sefer Torah was intensified by families of CBY taking their family Torahs out of the aron kodesh where they are housed to join the outdoor celebration and welcome the new Frohlich sefer Torah into the B’nai Yeshurun family. The singing, dancing, ruach and affection for the sifrei Torah and their particular significance to each person present made the event all the more meaningful, as the family Torahs collectively encircled the Frohlich sefer Torah and danced it into B’nai Yeshurun. There the Frohlich sefer Torah took its place front and center in the aron kodesh among the beloved Torahs of the other member families.
Rabbi Pruzansky noted the duality of emotions. He noted that it was extremely meaningful for the naming of the youth department and the Torah dedication to take place simultaneously, since the education and growth of the CBY youth, as well his personal study of Torah, were both essential components of David’s, z”l, life. Nevertheless there was a poignance in the fact that this ceremony was occasioned by the sudden passing of a man who was not only a CBY member but a very dear, close and valued friend of the entire CBY community, including Rabbi Pruzansky.
Michael Frohlich, David’s son, delivered fitting remarks from his mom, Barbara, thanking those who have been such a source of support during the past year, as well as those involved in the youth department and sefer Torah dedication. She expressed her cherished husband’s love for the shul, the local yeshivot and the Teaneck community. Both Barbara and Michael expressed their deep gratitude to CBY and to the Bergen County community, with special hakarat hatov to Moshe Zwebner, a dear friend and CBY member, who was at the helm of the entire tribute and event.
Michael Frohlich then delivered his own remarks on the impact his father had on his own life and on the lives of his siblings and their spouses, Gayle and Dov Katz, Elana and Ephraim Sudwerts, Gabriella and Daniel Frohlich, his wife Dini as well as the extended family and friends of the Frohlichs. Michael noted that while the day was joyous, it was still sad as he remembered the untimely death of his father on June 26, 2016, the 21st day of Sivan. Michael said that “what began with my dad dancing at a simcha with ruach and joy to davening Mincha with kavana and holiness, ended in tragedy for all of us,” as he recalled the wedding that his dad was attending at the time of his “sudden, heartbreaking loss.” Michael went on to talk about his father as a “husband, father, brother, uncle, friend and role model for all, who always set by example. My dad’s love, his upbeat demeanor, his gentleness, his sensitivity, all mixed with an unbelievable strength of character, spirit and body… just some of the adjectives and thoughts that come to my mind when I think of him. He was and always will be my best friend. The lessons my siblings, family and friends have learned from him will and can always be kept alive by learning from my dad’s ways.”
Rabbi Ari Zahtz, CBY’s assistant rabbi, commented on the overwhelming presence of community rabbanim who came to pay tribute to David Frohlich, as well as the large number of people who attended because David had touched their lives in varied ways. In addition to the CBY rabbanim, others attending were Bergen County’s Rabbi Ciment, Rabbi Cohen, Rabbi Neuberger, Rabbi Reichman, Rabbi Rothwax, Rabbi Sobolofsky, Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Weinberg, Rabbi Roberts and Rabbi Yudin, all dear and valued friends of the Frohlich family. Rabbi Zahtz touched on some personal stories of his close relationship with the Frohlich family and in particular his relationship with David. He then presented the memorial plaque to the family, dedicating the CBY Youth Department to be known from this time forward as the David Frohlich z”l Youth Department.
It was a day of camaraderie and, as Michael Frohlich noted, “…to be able to bring a Torah dedicated to my dad into Bnai Yeshurun is to us like bringing my father’s neshama home. To see the Bnai Yeshurun youth department dedicated to my dad’s memory has bought nechama to us, and together we should go m’dor l’dor, from generation to generation. We can only look forward to the coming of Mashiach, when I, my family and each of you will be able to be with my dad once again.”
By Eric Melzer
