Kos Avraham Yehudah

Avi used to recite the Four Questions at our Passover sedarim. Although he is now silenced forever, Avi remained a presence at our festival table last Wednesday and Thursday nights. My family used his two Kiddush cups - both were bar mitzvah gifts - for Kos Eliyahu haNavi - Prophet Elijah's Cup: on the first night, Avi's Shabbat Kiddush cup, and on the second night, his Passover Kiddush cup. Some day, they will be passed on to Menachem's and Chana's families, God willing.

Kos Eliyahu haNavi represents the Jewish People's yearning for the return of Elijah, who according to biblical lore never truly died and who will return someday to herald the coming of the Messiah, the embodiment of mankind's hopes for a better, peaceful world.

Unlike Elijah, Avi died and cannot return - at least not in this world, but my family and I yearn for our son and brother nevertheless, and for the promising future that was denied to him. Avi can no longer physically embody our hopes. We can only pray that his memory will sustain us and will inspire all those who were touched by him.