In Loving Memory of Mrs. Raquel Ben Simon, a Beloved Pillar of the Sephardic Temple.
Parashat Toldot stands at the center of Sefer Bereshit as the Torah’s meditation on generations—on the transmission of values from parent to child, from teacher to student, from leader to community.
Unlike earlier portions that focus on dramatic journeys and divine tests, Toldot invites us to look at something quieter yet more enduring: the shaping of identity over time.
In the parashah, Yitzhak digs anew the wells of his father Avraham—wells that had been stopped up by others. The Torah says: “And Yitzhak returned and dug the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Avraham his father… and he called them by the same names.”
Why tell us about wells? Why does it matter that Yitzhak gives them the same names?
Chazal explains that wells represent the transmission of spiritual life, the flowing continuity of faith, kindness, and communal responsibility. Yitzhak does not build a new world from scratch; he lovingly restores and strengthens the one he inherited. He shows that true greatness lies not only in building, but in preserving, renewing, and deepening what came before.
The story of Yitzhak’s wells feels especially poignant as we mark the passing of Mrs. Raquel Ben Simon, a remarkable woman whose presence enriched the Sephardic Temple for over sixty years. If every community has its pillars, then she was one of ours.
Like Yitzhak, she understood that the strength of a people is found not only in monumental moments but in the daily, steady, faithful deeds that keep a community alive. Her contributions—quiet, consistent, and profound—were like wells flowing beneath the surface, nourishing generations.
She greeted new faces, supported old friends, upheld traditions, and infused every gathering with warmth, dignity, and sincerity. Her love for Sephardic heritage wasn’t academic – it was lived, celebrated, and shared. She was part of the Temple not as a visitor, but as a guardian of its spirit.
Just as Yitzhak preserved Avraham’s wells, Mrs. Ben Simon preserved something essential in our congregation. Through her:
* Our traditions found a devoted guardian.
* Our celebrations found a joyful participant.
* Our challenges found a steady, compassionate heart.
* Our younger generations found an example of dedication and grace.
Some people pass through a community; others shape it. Raquel Ben Simon did more – she sustained it. Her legacy lives in the memories she created, the people she inspired, the traditions she cherished, and the loving presence she maintained through six decades of service and commitment.
Toldot reminds us that every generation inherits wells—some filled, some covered, some waiting to be rediscovered. When a person like Mrs. Ben Simon leaves this world, she leaves behind wells that continue to nourish us: wells of kindness, faith, Sephardic pride, and communal responsibility.
Her life teaches us that continuity is not automatic; it is built through devotion, generosity, and a heart that cares deeply for others.
May we honor her memory by keeping her wells open, by drawing from them, and by teaching the next generation to do the same. May her neshama be bound in the bond of life.
Yehi Zichrah Baruch — May her memory be a blessing and a source of strength for our entire congregation.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Refael Cohen