I only met him a few times, so I didn’t really know him that well.
Nadiv was married to Goldie’s cousin and we moved out of Crown Heights a short time after their wedding. But since his untimely and shocking passing at 30 years young this past Sunday night, I’ve gotten to know him that much better.
And it feels as though the world got a little darker.
Nadiv was synonymous with kindness and caring. He always made people feel at ease; he was never pretentious, and always real.
I saw him last at my nephew's Bar Mitzvah, just a few weeks ago. We are thankfully blessed with many relatives and a lot of them were there; uncles, aunts, cousins and many who married into the family. We live out of town so naturally I don’t know everyone so well.
Nadiv was there and he came over to say hi and ask how things are going out in California. I’ll be honest, it took me a minute to remember who he was.
In a world where so often we easily ignore someone we don’t know, Nadiv was a bright light who showed us all how to treat everyone we meet; with warmth and genuine interest.
The world became a little darker when he passed away.
But the world doesn’t have to remain darker, we can choose to make it lighter.
In the week since Nadiv passed, his friends and acquaintances have rallied to raise over $1 million dollars to support his wife and four young children. The outpouring of generosity and support is a testament to who he was.
His passing inspired people to do so much good, it has made the world that much brighter. He lived his life with so much positivity, that even through his passing he made the world better.
Here's something that we can each consider: will my passing (after 120 years) motivate others for good? Am I living my life with such positivity that it motivates others for the better?
Let’s each pledge to reach out to others; let’s be more genuine and caring. And let us make the world that much lighter in the process.
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Please consider donating a few dollars to help support Nadiv’s family: www.nadivskids.org