Kaddish with Oprah

Kaddish with Oprah by
Simcha JacoboviciNeed a Minyan? Nothing is too complicated for the Oprah show.The phone rang in my New York hotel room. It was 1995, and I wassaying Kaddish for my late father, of blessed memory, JosephJacobovici. I live in Toronto, but I'm a filmmaker, so I move around.

During my eleven months of saying Kaddish, I ended up in variousMinyans from San Francisco to Halifax. Once, I extended a stopover inDetroit, and rushed to the basement of an old Shul; where I was greetedby nine octogenarians, as if I were the Messiah himself.

But the phone call in New York was the start, of what turned out to be perhaps, themost interesting Kaddish experience of them all. ____________

I had just finished a documentary film called "The Selling ofInnocents." The film won an Emmy, attracting the attention of OprahWinfrey, the American icon and celebrated TV host. The producer at theother end of the telephone line asked, if I could fly to Chicago, andappear with my fellow producers, on the Oprah show, the day after next.

I was taken aback. This was the Oprah show, the big time. Greatpublicity for the film, and great promotion for me and my company."I'd love to do it," I said, "but I don't think I can.""Why not?" the producer asked, her voice betraying her surprise.

Nobody says "too busy" to the Oprah show."I have a problem," I answered.The producer's voice, Lisa was her name, became steely. All business."What's the problem?" she asked."It's complicated.""Try me," she said. ______________
I began the process of explaining to a non-Jewish television producerfrom Chicago, about the Jewish ritual of Kaddish.Whenever I had to explain this, people never quite got it. I wouldtell them, that I need a Minyan; and they would drive me to an emptyshul....

It never quite worked out. But this was Oprah, so I gave it atry."I'm Jewish, my father passed away. In our religion, it's incumbent onme, three times a day, to say a certain prayer; it is a glorification ofGod's Name, really. It's called Mourner's Kaddish.

To do this, I need to be in a 'Jewish quorum.' It's called a Minyan... So I can't miss this ritual. If I come to Chicago, I would have to attend morningservices, prior to being on Oprah." __________

"No problem," she said. "You need a Minyan to say Kaddish. Ten Jewishmen, for morning services. I'll arrange it.""It's not so simple," I said. "You may find a synagogue, but it mightnot have a Minyan in the morning.

Or the Jewish community may send youto a synagogue that's open... which wouldn't do the trick for me."Lisa tried to be patient. "I'll fax your flight information to yourhotel. You will be met in Chicago by a limo.

The driver will have theMinyan information. You will say Kaddish for your father." _____________
The rest unfolded like a military operation. The next day the ticketcame. Then the limo came. The driver took me to a hotel and said,"I'll be here at 6:30 a.m., your Minyan begins at 7 a.m. I'll pick youup at 8 a.m, you'll be at the Oprah show by 8:30 a.m."

The hotel room was beautiful, I slept like a baby. At 6:30 in themorning, I came down and stepped into my limo. There was a newspaperon the seat.I could get used to this, I thought. _______________

The driver pulled up in front of a downtown office building, and toldme, that there was a Chabad Lubavitch Minyan, on one of the upperfloors.When I got there, the Rabbi looked at me and said, "So you're the guysaying Kaddish.

I was warned by the Oprah show, that I'd better have a Minyan."We smiled at each other. I was really impressed with Lisa and Oprah.And I felt, that my father was surely amused.
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After Davening, my driver took me to the Oprah show. I was met by Lisa, a black woman in her thirties, she got straight to the point."You had a Minyan?""Yes, thank you," I said."Was it proper? Did you say Kaddish?"

"Absolutely. Couldn't be better," I answered.She looked at me with that look, that star surgeons have, when they comeout of the operating room.

Or maybe it's the look, that battlecommanders have, when coming back from a military operation. It's alook that says, "Nothing is too complicated."
___________
I was on Oprah, she was very professional. I had my five minutes offame, but all I can remember of that day, is the Kaddish.
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This story appears in " Living Kadish - Incredible and InspiringStorieshttp://www.targum.com/product.php/301/living-kaddish?a=aishhatorah

Compiled and edited by Rabbi Gedalia Zweig, published by TargumPress.