More than a name – a legacy - The Jewish Standard

Last month, our family welcomed a new member into the world.

Our third grandchild, Avraham Chaim, was born in Jerusalem on July 14 to our daughter, Esther, and our son-in-law, Yechiel Feig. His arrival has brought our family enormous joy — and, as these moments often do, an opportunity to pause and reflect on what we hope to pass from one generation to the next.

Our little grandson carries the Hebrew names of two very special great-grandfathers — two men who, in their own very different ways, pursued lives of integrity, generosity, and justice.

The Torah gives us a powerful charge: “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof” — “Justice, justice shall you pursue.” What better charge for a child carrying the names of two men who sought to live those values every day?

The first was Avraham Chaim Gutman z”l, Yechiel’s maternal grandfather, whom we were privileged to know. Born in Poland, he came to America in 1965 at the age of 16. He built a successful life as a businessman and, even more importantly, became a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and member of his community.

He was also a true ba’al tzedakah. His generosity was well known throughout Monsey, Rockland County, and beyond. He understood that success carries with it an obligation to help others, and he lived that commitment as a way of life.

The other great-grandfather is my father, Albert Fingerman z”l, of Cincinnati, Ohio. My father was a proud World War II veteran, a prominent attorney, and a former president of the Cincinnati Bar Association. Justice was central to his professional life. But his legacy to us extended far beyond the courtroom.

My father knew how to live with joy. He brought energy, warmth, and optimism into the lives of those around him. He reminded us that a life of principle need not be a life without pleasure; that integrity and joy can — and should — go hand in hand.

Two Avraham Chaims. Two families. Two very different life stories.

And yet, there was something deeply shared by both men: They lived with integrity. Both believed in doing the right thing. Both helped people in need. Both cared deeply about family and community. And both left behind not only memories but also values for the generations that follow.

That, to me, is one of the most beautiful things about giving a child the name of someone who came before him.

We don’t simply give a child a name. We give the child a legacy.

A name connects a child to a story that began before he or she was born. It reminds the child that he is part of something larger than himself — a family, a people, a tradition, and a chain of generations stretching backward and forward in time.

But a name alone is not enough.

The real challenge is to carry forward the middot — the character traits — of those whose names we bear.

So our hope and prayer for little Avraham Chaim is that he will embody the best of both of these extraordinary men: their integrity, generosity, commitment to justice, love of family, and joy in living.

This is what l’dor v’dor, from generation to generation, really means. It is not simply about passing down our names, traditions, or stories. It is about passing down our values — and giving the next generation the opportunity to make those values their own.

Every generation has the responsibility to ask: What did we inherit, and what will we leave behind?

We cannot control the world into which our children and grandchildren are born. But we can help shape the values with which they enter it.

We can teach them to pursue justice, practice generosity, care for family and community, live with integrity, and, perhaps just as importantly, to find joy and bring joy to others.

May the memories of Avraham Chaim Gutman z”l and Albert R. Fingerman z”l continue to inspire all who knew them.

And may we have the privilege of watching this newest generation grow, learn, and carry forward the very best of what came before — l’dor v’dor, from generation to generation.

Because ultimately, the greatest legacy we can give our children is not simply a name. It is a life worth carrying forward.

Jeremy J. Fingerman and his wife, Gail, live in Fort Lee. He was the CEO of Foundation for Jewish Camp for 15 years and now is its senior advisor.