WHILE WE ARE HERE TO SAY FAREWELL TO LYNDA AND THAT IS VERY SAD, I WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE OUTSTANDING PERSON I KNEW, AS WELL AS, CELEBRATE A TIME WHEN SHE WAS THE SHINING STAR AT AGUDAS ACHIM.
IN 2000, CONGREGATION AGUDAS ACHIM BEGAN A PROGRAM CALLED TAP OR THINKING ADULTS PROGRAM. THE AIM OF TAP WAS TO GATHER TOGETHER ADULTS WITH FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES TO PARTICIPATE IN A VARIETY OF ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS AND CLASSES. THE GOAL WAS TO PROVIDE A PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS TO “LIGHT UP THEIR MINDS” AS THEY EMBARK ON NEW HORIZONS, GAINED NEW INFORMATION, HAD SOCIAL ENCOUNTERS AND ADVENTURES.
LYNDA WAS THE CHAIR OF THE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE FOR ABOUT 6 YEARS. SHE WAS THE HEART AND SOUL OF TAP THROUGH THE CURRICULUM SHE PLANNED AND OVERSAW. SHE BROUGHT NOT ONLY HER OWN WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE, BUT SHE HAD AN INNATE ABILITY TO IDENTIFY TOPICS THAT AROUSED CURIOSITY AND ATTRACTED INTERESTING TEACHERS.
IN JUDAISM WE ARE TAUGHT TO LEARN AND TO TEACH. EDUCATION IS A CONTINUING PROCESS. IT SHOULD NEVER STOP AND SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO ANY ONE TOPIC OR FIELD. WE SHOULD SATISY THE WORDS OF THE TORAH. LYNDA WAS A REAL PRO AS SHE REACHED OUT TO NUMEROUS UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS FACULTY MEMBERS, TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE GENERAL, RELIGIOUS, ARTS AND GOVERNMENT COMMUNITIES TO SHARE WITH TAP THEIR EXPERTISE.
IN DEUTERONOMY WE READ THAT IT IS THE DUTY OF EVERY GENERATION TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN AND EACH OTHER AND TO HELP ALL TO EXPERINECE THE WONDERS WE UNCOVER. LYNDA HELPED US TO CLIMB THE LADDER OF FULFILLING THESE EXPECTATIONS BY PLANNING A STIMULATING CURRICULUM ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS. WE LEARNED FROM THOSE WITH A SPECIAL PASSION OR TALENT, EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD, POLITICIANS, CURATORS, DOCENTS, SCHOLARS, AND CHEFS.
TAP OFFERED COURSES SUCH AS ”PICASSO—THE MAN AND HIS ART”, “CURRENT ISSUES IN BIOETHICS”, “THE COLD WAR”, “WHAT GOES ON UNDER THE DOME”, “EMERGENCE—RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY”, TO JUST MENTION A FEW. PROBABLY SOME OF YOU HERE TODAY WERE TAP INSTRUCTORS.
DEVELOPING THE CURRICULUM AND SECURING THE PRESENTERS REQUIRED HOURS AND HOURS OF TIME, PATIENCE, AND FOLLOW THROUGH. LYNDA ATTENDED TO HER RESPONSIBILITIES WITH GRACE AND SKILL AS SHE EXPOSED US TO TOPICS WE MIGHT HAVE NEVER EXPLORED BEFORE.
IN JUDIASM WE ARE ALSO TAUGHT TO QUESTION AND BY QUESTIONING WE LEARN. IT IS THIS QUESTIONING THAT MAKES US AWARE AND TO HAVE CONCERN FOR OTHERS AND THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE! EDUCATION DEFINES WHO WE ARE. EDUCATION IS HOW WE SEARCH FOR MEANING IN OUR LIVES! LYNDA PROVIDED THAT OPPORTUNITY. A SINGLE LEADER CAN AFFECT AND INFLUENCE A LARGE GROUP AND THAT IS JUST WHAT LYNDA DID.
DURING THE YEARS SHE PUT THE CURRICULUM TOGETHER, SHE WAS TRULY A REMARKABLE AND UNSELFISH PERSON! SHE WAS WILLING TO SHARE THAT WHICH SHE KNEW FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS. LYNDA TRULY HELPED US TO LEARN AND TO TEACH. FOR THOSE OF US THAT WERE ACTIVE IN TAP, WE ARE FOREVER INDEBTED TO LYNDA.
MAY THE FAMILY ALWAYS KNOW THAT SHE WAS THE ROCK OF OUR PROGRAM AND WITHOUT HER THE MEMBERS OF TAP WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO SO MANY THOUGHT PROVOKING OPPORTUNITIES! IT WAS MY SPECIAL PRIVILEDGE TO WORK WITH HER AS SHE TAUGHT US ALL.
CHARLES, THANK YOU FOR EXTENDING ME A CHANCE TO HONOR LYNDA’S MEMORY, INVOLVEMENT AND LEADERSHIP IN THE TAP.
MAY LYNDA’S MEMORY BE FOR A BLESSING AND MAY ALL OF YOU KNOW THAT SHE FULFILLED THE TENETS IN OUR TORAH AND THE TAP TAG LINE “ LIGHT UP YOUR MIND.”
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