A TRIBUTE TO RABBINITE LEANA LEAH YAHONATAN

“A Giant Oak in our forest has fallen” An African Proverb

Sleep in Eternal Peace Rabbanit Leana Yahonatan.

I first met Rabbi Yhoshua Ben Yahonatan, Rabbanit Leana Yahonatan and daughter Rebecca in Mount Vernon New York when Rebecca was just a little girl. At that time, congregation Bait Ha Tefillah, led by Rabbi Yahonatan, and Berishith Cultural Institute and Ha Aur B’ Mizraim congregation, both located in Mount Vernon New York supported each other in various ways. Our joint congregations also spent many years supporting The Commandment Keepers in Harlem NY and we attending social events as family together.

Rabbanit Yahonatan taught Hebrew to our children, including my 3 at Bereshith Cultural Institute and I served as her assistant and learned Hebrew myself while assisting her. She always gave me so much spiritual instruction every time I saw her and I came to value those brief moments.

Rabbanit Yahonatan always demonstrated virtue and integrity of the highest order and she is a model for how we, Hebrew Israelite women aspire to live and serve our El. Her humility, grace and spiritual intelligence were qualities that she carried in her DNA and she made it all seem so effortless. Her strength was remarkable despite her soft and quiet demeanor.

Our Queen Rabbanit Yahanatan is a national treasure for us and I pray that I will be able to exemplify just a tiny bit of all that I love and admire about her life. We lost a giant but gained an angel.

She is truly The A TRIBUTE TO

RABBINITE LEANA LEAH YAHONATAN (Woman of Valor).

Her price is far above rubies. Strength and honor are her clothing. We all rise up and call her BLESSED and praise her works. Many daughters have done virtuously but you excel them all. You are a woman, a queen that feareth Hashem and we honor you Rabbanit Leana Yahonatan.

Ride the Winds, Our Queen

Gv't Yedidah Tamar Yehudah