To the loved ones of Motel,
My name is Sholom Ber Shmerling and I was a good friend of Motel. I am heartbroken looking at a picture of Motel A”H from 9 months ago when my baby was born, 2-3 hours away from where Motel was at that time (even though I had no idea that he was remotely near me). An hour after the bris, an uber pulled up and Motel came out. He came to wish us a heartfelt mazel tov, despite all the physical limitations and being in a wheelchair and the distance it took him to get to us. Motel then sat by me and my family and radiated simcha the entire time.
The biggest impact that Motel had on me was when he took me under his wing when I was a young bochur. I was in Yeshiva in Brunoy for Mesivta, I was from the only out of town bochurim at that time. I was 13 years old and you can imagine how difficult that can be. When it was my birthday, Motel brainstormed on how to make me feel I was at home, and not alone. He went and bought me a leather bound siddur with my name engraved on it!
I lost my father at a young age, Motel had the sensitivity and made the point to reach out to me when it was my father’s yartzeit every year.
These are all small stories but they are what made Motel who he was: always making people feel thought of and cared for – through making trips to wish a mazel tov and remembering small details of his friend’s life. The world and Klal Yisroel will not be the same without Motel in it, but we cannot imagine the emptiness his family feels with their father and husband no longer here. Motel cared deeply for all those who were in his life, and supporting those he loved the most is the least that we can do in his passing.
Sholom Ber Shmerling
A fund has been established to support the Pevzner family, please click here to support.
So inspiring