Moses Samuels, who died on May 29 at the age of 65 after a battle with throat cancer, was remembered by friends, family and invited guests at Yangon’s synagogue on Sunday.
Samuels was the caretaker of Myanmar’s only Jewish house of worship for more than 35 years. In that time he collected many friends and admirers, proven by the crowd that filled the normally empty temple.
The service started a little after 3pm once everyone had made it through the rainy streets and walked through the courtyard of the synagogue into the main building.
Photo / Coconuts Media
Guests included ambassadors from Canada, the United States and Israel.
Inside the synagogue on a billboard there were pinned articles about Moses and condolence letters from Myanmar’s ambassador and the World Jewish Congress.
The former caretaker’s son, Sammy, who will now be in charge of maintaining the synagogue, praised his father’s work in a moving eulogy.
“This singular effort of keeping the Jewish spirit alive in this country will never be forgotten,” he said. “He treated every visitor to the synagogue with equal respect. No matter whether they are Jewish or Buddhist, Muslim or Christian, Hindu or Baha’i, or whether they are coming from the United States or India, from Asia or Europe. Doesn’t really matter.”
Israel’s ambassador also spoke and the ceremony was finished with an interfaith prayer.
Photo / Facebook / Sammy Samuels
