Growing up going to the Young Israel of West Hempstead every Shabbas, I was used to the familiar sound of his gentle voice filling the shul with words of Torah. As a child I never understood the extent of his knowledge on every possible subject. I grew accustomed to his soft spoken nature and true simcha that radiated from this man- he had an aura around him that was clear to everyone who encountered him.
As I sat there watching the levaya with tears in my eyes, a lump in my throat, and heaviness in my heart, I saw even more that I will never know the extent of his kindness and his love for every person.
After I heard of his passing on Friday, I have been craving to read every story possible that’s been posted, every person whose life he impacted. I want to share a couple of my own personal stories.
A bunch of years ago I was sick during tisha b’av and emailed the rabbi asking if I should still fast. He responded quickly and I had his answer. An hour or 2 later I got a call from Rabbi Kelemer, apologizing for not asking more about my symptoms in order to give me more guidance in how I should proceed with the fast. I was in awe that he was still thinking about my small question hours after the fact. He made me feel that I was special enough to warrant his full attention, no matter how small my question was.
My last interaction with Rabbi Kelemer was 2 years ago. I was visiting my bubby in the hospital by myself, watching her in one of her final days. As I was sitting with her, the rabbi came in. I knew he was there to speak to the doctors about her condition and help my family make important decisions regarding her care. He stayed with me for a few minutes, offering me words of chizuk and nechama to try to ease my pain in watching her deterioration and struggle. A couple weeks later by her grave site, he asked me to insert her name where the headstone would later stand, giving me the opportunity to give my bubby kavod one last time (just as he did 13 months earlier for my grandma). When my father was an avel and unable to enter the dancing for a wedding, Rabbi Kelemer was out in the hallway with him, taking his hands and singing and dancing so he could feel part of the simcha.
People ask me all the time- why do I love West Hempstead? The answer is simple- Rabbi Kelemer. He was one of a kind, and because of this, our community is like no other. He created a legacy and one unified community. We were always in constant awe of how he managed to be in 4 places at one time to share in everyone’s smachot and sorrows. His kindness was truly extraordinary. I feel blessed to have won the lottery for the most unique and special of rabbaim. A true gem. He knew us as a community, but also understood us as individuals. His passing is a loss or the entire WH community and all of Klal yisroel.
Rabbi Goller words at the levaya exemplified who Rabbi Kelemer was- a malach Hashem. He continued to say that we will never know just how much Torah he knew, or how much chessed he did, simply because Rabbi Kelemer did not want us to know. The most humble of men, he did not want any recognition for the ways in which he helped and impacted every individual.
A world without Rabbi Kelemer is unimaginable. I am deeply saddened that I will no longer hear his davening for neillah, or his voice echoing through the sanctuary with his beautiful words, or his face full of simcha as he danced for a chasson and kallah, always longing for the day he would be at my wedding. I will always remember his post-pesach tradition that we can have everything “but the beef.” I will continue to daven with the siddur he gave me 20 years ago for my bas mitzvah and try to make him proud. I have no doubt that he will always remain in our hearts.
May his neshama have an Aliyah
Yehi zichro baruch
Ariella S.
