DEDICATED TO THE BLESSED MEMORY: of Nison ben Sara ve Yakhiel Arabov

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April 20, 1929 – March 14, 2025
14 Adar 5785

The passing of parents, regardless of their age, is not only a difficult process of psychological parting of the heirs from their childhood, but also an opportunity for a deeper understanding of the parents’ role in the heirs' own lives, a desire once again to feel the bright experience of the loved ones, or, on the contrary, to avoid this desire. It is no coincidence that many girls, dreaming of personal happiness, dream of the image of a man similar to their father, and boys—to their mother, which sometimes turns into an insurmountable obstacle in the search for a loved one.

Nison-aka was that ardently desired category of fathers who left in the hearts of their children the example of a husband, son, brother, and grandfather, who especially valued the importance of a spoken promise, intelligent to the depths of his soul, extremely respectful to age and especially to the sanctity of family obligations.

He was born into a large, incredibly close-knit family with many children, from an early age absorbing the feelings of responsibility for his family and friends, the eternal desire to be near them, especially in moments of one or another unforeseen circumstance.

He lived with his beloved chosen one, Mafrat, for more than seventy years. Those were the decades outlined by feelings of mutual devotion, empathy, and respect, a mutual inner sense of the slightest fluctuations in mood, prospective steps, and actions. According to modern psychologists, this is a great given, inscribed by the Creator and intended only for the chosen ones, whose marriages, as is commonly believed, were approved and concluded in heaven. They are especially revered today in America, where the family has recently, unfortunately, lost its former value.

After graduating from a trade college, Nison-aka linked his professional destiny with commercial activity, which, understandably, in those distant years under Soviet power, was quite grounded and widespread among Bukharian Jews. The mission of Mafrat, according to the deep conviction of the husband, was intended for the most important family task: the worthy upbringing of their children according to Jewish values and ensuring the normal functioning of the household.

Nison-aka was always confident in his rear, especially in terms of children; he highly valued the skill and diligence of his wife, who was showing them in a variety of ways, was ensuring, above all, the material well-being of their five children and Mafrat's confidence in the future. All this became a condition, thanks to which the spouses, over the years, were increasingly transformed into two halves of a single organism, whole and inseparable, step by step passing on this priceless philosophy and practice to their heirs, including numerous grandchildren and now great-grandchildren. This is the eternal essence of modest but greatly important and priceless human happiness, which every sensible person cannot but dream of.

Today, we cannot help but emphasize that Nison-aka always stood out not only for his deep inner content and piety but also for his external stateliness and attention to every detail of his suit. In this, he was supported by both his wife and loving daughters. We know him as a person who treated with special attention issues of charity and systematic support of various social projects.

Our community of many thousands is well aware that the family of Nison-aka and he personally followed and supported with great interest the construction of the new building of the Beth Gavriel synagogue, which will soon open its hospitable doors to thousands of people not only from New York, the USA, but also from other countries.

Dear Mafrat, the children: Asya-Georgiy, Lida-Edik, Leora-Zef, Basya, Jacob-Angela, relatives and friends! Your loss is immeasurable, since the trace left by the deceased in the life of his family has no analogues. But the fact that he went to Eternity, marked by G-d, in full meaningful health, surrounded by those whom he loved most, simply falling asleep, eloquently testifies to the main thing: his place was deliberately reserved by the Creator in Gan Eden. He deserved it with his entire righteous life and, therefore, will forever remain in our hearts.

President of the Beth Gavriel
Center Ilya Koptiev

Vice President Simcha Alishaev

Rabbi Imanuel Shimonov