Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1963-07-18

was best known as a builder
of men" rather than houses,
occurred from a heart ailment.
Philanthropies and the causes
he supported both inside and
outside his own Jewish faith
brought to the man who came
to America at age 10 and work
ed as a 50 a week grocery boy,
the plaudits and gratitude OF
many world figures.
Rabbi Rabinowitz, In his fine
eulogy to Mr.. Kay, said this:
Happy is the man who is
rich in good deeds for he shall
be honored in life and be re-
membered long afterwards for
his goodness. This was the
creed by which Abe Kay lived.
He was not given to words, not
famous for his speeches, but he
was given to deeds of rectitude,
and acts of selfless nobility. He
knew the meaning of cutting
through the layer of empty for
mality and proceeding with the
work that had to be DONE"
In addition to these ancient
and moving words Of 200 years
ago, Rabbi Rabinowtiz turned to
the philosophy Of a contem'
pOrary martyr, Hannah SEN
esch, as rejecting motivation in
the life Of Abe Kay: BLESSED is
the match that Is consumed In
hndling flame. Blessed Is the
heart with strength to stop Its
beating for honor's sake.
ABE was consumed willingly
to kindle flame In others. He
consumed for causes greater
than self.
"Abe's life Is a saga Of the
struggle of the immigrant, OF
the meeting Of challenge, Of ad.
justment to new ways, OF
mounting above the challenge.
In this Abe Kay was not unique
but representative. There is this
difference, however: too many
others were too quick to forget
the meaning Of their struggles.
Abe never did forget. A man
must never forget the timber
from which he was hewn, the
ground from which he sprung.
Giving to causes was his way of
offering a prayer Of gratitude.
Philanthropy was his thanksgiv.
Ing sacrifice.
"Abe composed his own cpl.
taph when he said recently In
one Of his few formal public
utterances, 1t Is out Of a sense
Of gratitude for all that Amer
lea has done for those who seek
freedom and out of q sense Of
appreciation that I am mott
waited to establish these fOunda-
doDs.
at would take us so far afield
to list the causes which have
benefited from his generosity.
They are obvious. Their catalog
is q listing of all worthy insh-
buttons.
Abe was seldom a president,
but he was the perennial chair
man; not honorary but the ac-
tive chairman, the active mem.
Der of every board of countless
numbers of worthy organiza-
tons that he felt essential to
life and, more important than
self. Secure in his being, he set
standards for others; he was
the conscience Of the commu-
nifty.
HE would not ask Of others
what he would not do himself
/. he was blessed with a de-
nghtful sense of humor; there.
fore, he didn't ask others, he
INVITED, cajoled and teased, and
none dared to say him nay, not
because they feared him--not
because he was a powerful man
but because they revered him.
And then, because he was a SEN
sitive man, he would be torn
by painful remorse, lest he had
said something that might have
caused somebody some pain or
some shame.
"Abe came to this country on
July 4, 1909. He was q child Of
more than one culture and re.
tanned the best Of each. He came
here from wilma Mt the age Of 10
and had only two years OF pub
lie school training, but anyone
who would interpret this simple
fact to mean that he was q
drop out at 1Y did not know
wilma and did not know Abe.
wilma, a little Jerusalem OF
Europe, Is a city that is no
more. It had an educational
system the world win never