Portsmouth—Rick (as he was known) was born in New York City in 1959 and grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y.
He moved to Portsmouth, Va. in 1996. Along with his parents, he joined Gomley Chesed Synagogue. Before long, Rick’s talent for leading the evening and part of the Shabbos services showed itself. Rick truly loved synagogue life. One of the proudest moments of his life was when he was voted Man of the Year by the Gomley Chesed Men’s Club.
Rick suffered from a variety of physical and mental problems most of his life. Because of his outgoing personality, he made friends easily. Most of his friends from New York are still his friends.
Rick’s parents, Sandy and Al, want to thank everyone who saw and accepted Rick for the person he was.
Rick will be missed by his parents, his brother, Jesse, his sisters, Sherri and Merri, nieces, nephews, Aunt Judy, other relatives and all his friends.
I’M A GOOD PERSON
by Sondra Eisenpress about Rick
I’m a good person in a bad life
Days, nights, so much strife.
It started on the day I was born,
So many shadows on that morn.
An instrument birth was all they said,
That grotesque clamp around my head,
Squeezed too hard, just a little,
Around my mouth foamed the spittle.
From that day forward everything so hard,
No one understanding, always on guard.
My hands don’t work as well as yours,
No one wants to hear about the cause.
My moods change faster than most,
Not something about which to boast.
Manic depressive, bipolar, is the name,
I’m supposed to be full of shame.
I cannot help what’s happened to me,
I’m the best person I can be.
Your taunts cut through me like a knife,
I’m a good person in a bad life.