Sara's Eulogy: My Abba Was An Amazing Father

I called him Abba, which means “daddy” in Hebrew.

My Abba was an amazing father. He gave me the world, and desire to make a difference in it. He challenged me, supported me and believed in everything I did. Recently, he told me how happy he was that he had “pushed” me toward my profession, because he knew that I would always be self sufficient because of it.

He was proud of me and let me know it. He would never let me talk down about myself. Even in our last conversation together, he wanted me to understand that, though each of us has “stuff to work on,” we are all perfect, whole and complete just the way we are.

This one last lesson was a powerful one and has already begun to change my view of the world.

Throughout my life he gave me many more lessons as well:
A love of the outdoors, dance, music and song.
An appreciation of cultures, language and history.
A desire for knowledge and understanding.

It may take me a lifetime to understand the man he was and the legacy he left behind.

I will greatly miss him. He was my best friend.

I will miss songs he sung to me throughout my life. Especially: Sara, Bat Chiam. Boy Boy Boy ET, (which means: Sara, daughter of William, come to me).

But I will miss our daddy dates together the most. In going through my pictures and files of him this week, I found an essay I wrote when I was a little girl, about one of our many daddy dates together:

SAILING WITH ABBA

b y

Sara Gallagher

In the summer of 1987, 1 went to visit my Dad in California, I call him "Abba." He lives on the San Francisco Bay Area on a beautiful 30-foot sailboat. It was a beautiful Sunday. The sun was shining. The sky was deep baby blue and a light breeze was blowing.

My Dad and I went outside to prepare the boat for sail. When we were
ready, we said goodbye and then set sail. The boat glided out into the
harbor. I took hold of the wheel while my Abba put up the sail. We
headed for a bridge and maintained that course. The wind blew through my
hair and past my face, making me feel free as the birds above me.

We sailed around Angel Island, and headed toward the Golden Gate Bridge. I
saw a seal bobbing her head in and out of the water. The seal had
smooth, gray skin that --when the sun hit it just right-- made the water
on its skin sparkle.

The winds grew stronger as we neared the Golden Gate. Abba went to check on something while I took control of the the wheel. A gust of wind hit the sail and something snapped. The boat was "rails under" and rocking furiously. I didn't know what to do. I felt frightened and helpless. The sun went behind what seemed to be an endless cloud. The boat was being tossed around in the great waves and Abba finally came out and took charge. A line, which supported the mast, had snapped and we had to head home.

The sun came out and assured me that everything was going to be all right. On the way back, we sailed close by San Francisco and waved to all the people we saw. We also saw some fish jump out of the water. When we got back we secured the boat and watched a gorgeous sun set.
I was glad to be back home. I was tired and it had been a long day. I slept soundly. Although it has been over a year since we sailed together, I still dream about that day on the Bay with Abba.

October 11, 1988


And I will continue to dream about that day and will keep you in my heart Abba, forever sailing.

Ani Ohevet Otcha Abbalele Shalie.

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And the rains fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

- Author unknown