May his memory be for a blessing ❤️
Friends, there's been a significant loss in our extended community, and one of our own has an ask of us during this agonizing time.
There is a tradition of reciting Psalms (and yes, though Hebrew is traditional, whatever language you've got is great) on behalf of someone particularly during the time between death and burial. Amy has said that she would appreciate our community reciting Psalms on Dan's behalf, so if you're able to do so and this feels like.. something you might do.. please consider doing so. Dan's Hebrew name is Daniel Adin ben Philip v'Eliana
Everything I'm sharing below comes from Amy Brookman, an active member of our House of Study community.
May she and all of her family be comforted among the mourners of Zion, surrounded with all of the love and care that can possibly exist now, during a time that may feel like it exists beyond comfort.
Trigger warning: death by suicide. Please review the link to resources for responsible community communications and education supporting people at risk of suicide, and related mental health safety guidelines.
This is to share the sad news that my husband and I are mourning the death by suicide of our son, Dan, z"l, may his memory be for a blessing.
At the same time we're also taking care to avoid triggering anyone who is at risk – by not reporting details as to how and where death occurred, as outlined in this writing from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Why Suicide Reporting Guidelines Matter / NAMI
Instead our family is focusing on supporting proactive health care education, resource sharing, and working to make needed changes for all lives affected by our public health care and other social support systems, which are in great need of repair.
Unfortunately a slow government bureaucratic process is suspending us in a prolonged period of aninut, the raw interval between death and burial, so shiva [the beginning of the formal period of mourning] cannot even begin yet. At the same time, our community, friends, and family are giving us abundant love and support every day. We haven't yet written an obituary, but have asked anyone who wants to give in our son's memory to please donate, give tzedakah, instead of sending flowers, to the Tommy Raskin Memorial Fund for People and Animals.
Several of the obstacles to preparation for burial have been resolved, but there are still a few more to go, so we do not yet know when the funeral and burial can be scheduled. I will update further when possible.
Some of our son Dan's friends shared memories and love – scroll down the linked funeral home page to see their compassionate posts.
Dan Brookman, z"l (he/they, a.k.a. DANNN in music circles)
Dignity Memorial / Obituary
Link to creativity:
DANNN / bandcamp / Music Community
May Dan's memory be for a blessing, and may everyone they touched– with their being and his music– find the path forward illuminated by his memory and their experiences with them.
מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד ה׳ רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר׃ בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵנִי עַל־מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי׃ נַפְשִׁי יְשׁוֹבֵב יַנְחֵנִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי־צֶדֶק לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ׃ גַּם כִּי־אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא־אִירָא רָע כִּי־אַתָּה עִמָּדִי שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ הֵמָּה יְנַחֲמֻנִי׃ תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה׃ אַךְ טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי ל־יְמֵי חַיָּי וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית־ה׳ לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים׃