Remembering Rabbi Richard Safran

For many years, the weekly Shabbat dinners in the Rubin Assisted Living dining room have been a beautiful way to end the week and welcome the Jewish Sabbath. It was not exactly so this past Friday night. While we said the blessings over the candles, wine, and challah together, and were served a delicious dinner, there was something missing. That something, or someone, was Handmaker resident, friend, and spiritual leader, Rabbi Richard Safran, who passed away on Friday morning, December 2^nd at the age of 92.

The Tucson Community was blessed when Rabbi Safran and his wife Lois moved to Tucson, shortly after they discovered The Old Pueblo while on a trip to a Rabbinic conference in San Diego in 1995. And when Rabbi Safran became the Tucson Jewish Community Chaplain more than 15 years ago, Handmaker residents got to know him during his weekly visits. He liked to plan the visits to coincide with the weekly meeting of Handmaker’s knitting group, because he enjoyed sitting and chatting with the knitters. And they, of course, enjoyed spending time with him. So, when Rabbi Safran moved into Handmaker’s Rubin Assisted Living Neighborhood in February of 2019, he was already an integral part of our community. And after he moved in, he never stopped giving. While he was no longer the Tucson Jewish Community Chaplain, he became, unofficially, our Handmaker spiritual leader. He was always ready to listen, offer guidance and care, and to lend a hand however and whenever he could. He walked through the building multiple times a day, stopping to talk to everyone he saw. Often poking his head into open office doors with a smile and sweet “peek-a-boo,” his visits would brighten everyone’s day. His infectious smile and laugh, and his wit and his wisdom, made everyone he met feel special.

Shabbat and Holiday meals dinners were also made more special with his warmth and spirit. There was always singing, although he often apologized for his voice, and he liked to bring readings and poetry to share. After each Shabbat meal and a few rounds of “shalom alecheim” and “adon olam,” he would walk around the room to shake everyone’s hand, or do a fist bump, to wish each person a Shabbat Shalom. He blew the shofar with a vigor beyond his years during the Jewish High Holidays, led inspirational Passover seders, and was always available to teach a class, lead the blessings before holiday meals, and share with others.

How do we go on without him? Without his spirit, his joy, his wisdom, his presence, and his smile? We go on for him. Shabbat was clearly a great joy for him. He is quoted in an article in the Arizona Jewish Post as saying, “For me, the saving grace of surviving (after his wife’s passing) is Shabbat.” He also said that as a chaplain he had “been touched by the hope, courage and strength” of so many people. And we in turn, have been touched by him.

Last Shabbat, the first Shabbat without our dear Rabbi Safran with us, we reminisced. We shared stories of what he meant to us, the bits of wisdom and kindness that he showed to each, and every one of us. And in his honor, in his memory, we will keep celebrating Shabbat together. We will remember what he brought to us: the joy, hope and caring, and try to emulate it and share it with others. May his memory be a blessing.