Dear all,
Earlier this week, I was fortunate to be part of a FEMA site for the COVID vaccine. As I prepared to make the drive to the designated location, my sister texted that my father’s death was imminent and that the family was gathering at his bedside.
The moment in time could not have been more difficult.
I called my mother. In her infinite wisdom, she reminded me of what our Torah teaches, “I place before you life and death … Choose Life (Dt. 30:19).” Mom then said, “Zach, you must go get that vaccine.”
And so … As I waited in line for life, my father was nearing death. We shared one last video call, my mother and sisters at his side, and me in the car. I told him, “Dad, it’s time to be free.” A few moments later, dad died. My life is rewritten once again. I feel the loss unfolding as I write.
With dad’s spirit standing on my shoulders, I now face life with his presence always guiding my future.
May his memory be for a blessing,
Rabbi Zach Shapiro
Temple Akiba of Culver City mourns the loss of L. Dennis Shapiro, husband of Susan R. Shapiro, and father of Aliza Shapiro, Rachel Shapiro, and Rabbi Zach Shapiro (Ron Galperin).
A native of Brooklyn, NY, Dennis earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Electrical Engineering. He met Susan just as she was graduating Harvard Law School, and for 56 years, the couple made Boston their home, later also residing in Nantucket and Los Angeles. Dennis was dedicated in all he did, including helping people live more safely, building companies that made a difference and patenting new inventions. His patents included innovations in motion detector technology (Aritech Corp), and the premier emergency response alert (Lifeline Systems), that has saved countless lives and to this day enables elderly people and others with medical needs to live independently.
Dennis was a passionate pilot, sailor, ice dancer, fisherman, skier, Ham Radio operator, philanthropist and so much more. He was also an avid collector of Presidential letters. He and Susan recently donated their collection to the Huntington Library, creating The Shapiro Center to advance scholarship for American culture and history. Most importantly Dennis loved his family, and adored his grandchildren, Sasha Mandel, Benjamin Shapiro, and Maya and Eli Shapiro-Galperin.
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