-Dr Michael Katz Paasche-Orlow, my brother, gave this eulogy for our mother

And there on the other side –
In the middle of the other side –
Away from everything else on the other side –
In parentheses, capital letters, quotated – read the following words:

Eva Doreen Katz, you were my mommy.

You were a proud bat Tzion – Daughter of Zion.

You honored your Jewish Yekkishe heritage, you brought comfort and honor to those around you with a generous smile, laugh, insight, twinkle, and a generous table. You became a central figure in many Jewish and professional organizations – and also in the hearts of many who loved you.

Mom, you related to me the following story that told me much about you and stood as a powerful guide in life. You described your activism in Narberth Neighbors for Peace protesting the Vietnam war. You explained that there was a plan to go down to the Draft Board and to throw blood at the building. But – you did not want to handle treif blood. So – you went to your butcher and asked for bags of chicken
blood. The butcher thought that this was odd – so, you explained the situation. The butcher advised that it would be best to put anticoagulant into the blood – otherwise, it would coagulate and not really make an good splatter on the wall. So – you had the best blood – and then everyone wanted only kosher blood to throw and before long everyone at Narberth Neighbors for Peace only threw kosher chicken blood.

You did not hide your Jewish voice. Your feminist voices – your voice for equality – your voice for Israel – your voice for Beta Israel – Ethiopian Jewry – your voice for the poor – and for the disabled – and for children – And you were beloved. Certainly – by every Kosher Butcher you ever met.

Even if only temporarily, you kept the forces of evil at bay, you created spaces of Pardes – holy spaces of Kedushah – at the altar of your Shabbat and Chag table.

In her own way, as a proud Bat Cohen – daughter of Alfred and Ruth Liselotte Katz, she lived the best aspects of Korach’s message from this week’s Torah portion.

Ki Kol HaEdah Kulah Kedoshim – Uvetucham Adonai
For the entire congregation are ALL HOLY and god is in their midst.

Bamidbar 16:3

For my mother – this was not demagoguery – This was the altar of her life that we felt in her influence that we were holy and had holy work to do. She made us feel special – one on one – with her smile, her twinkle, her love for Jews and Judaism – justice and equality – that we are holy and have holy work to do in the world.
This was the root of her dedication to the library minyan and the chavurah movement and to so many other things – Ki Kol Haedah Kula Kedoshim. The whole congregation is holy and god is in their midst.
What was the purpose of her brisket and her corned beef?
To show that Judaism can be joyous and nurturing – and communal – while driving us to engage in the work of repairing the world.

As Shimon HaChasid said: On three things the world is sustained – on the torah, avodah and GMC – acts of lovingkindness.

On the Torah – she expressed this through her family – that each of us
had a Jewish education –
On Avodah – she expressed this through her work – she was not afraid
of hard work – she worked hard for her family and for the community.
And On Acts of Loving Kindness – this was not only through organizations
and boards – but also in going the extra mile for her patients, family, and friends.

On Rosh HaShanah last year – during COVID – Sara and I came with mom and Rachel to this spot to pray here with PJ – with Papa Jim – James Joseph Orlow z”l and to see the other graves here from the family as her grandparents are also buried here. We came across the grass here with her in her wheelchair and we came to this very spot right here in front of this stone – and she saw dad’s name here – and the blank space next to it – where her name would be – and she looked and said – BACK UP – I am not ready yet. We had a nice service here and when Sara started to give a Dvar Torah – Mom started to move her arm like this – with her elbow – elbowing out to the side. I said – Mom – what are you doing – and she said – JIM – Jim is snoring.

The truth is that in these last days it was clear that you were ready. Indeed, death for you mom was a chesed – a mercy. So, now you are here together – and now I get to say to you something
you read to me – so so many times the Owl and the Pussycat: