Remembering Arlene

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SylviaB
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Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2009 1:15 pm

Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by SylviaB »

Unfortunately I never met Arlene in person and hardly came across her here on the forum or on facebook, despite being here a long time, but never spend much time here. Only in August I met a great group of us cohenites and missed out also Arlene. I really regret that and all what I now read I am very sad, that I never met this lovely lady, so my heart goes out to all who knew her and carry her in their heart. My sincere condoleances.

Marie, if all works out, I will be in Israel by the end of May, if you agree (I will PN you) I would love to send to the family also some little stones and a hand of sand from Jerusalem and will also "nick" some seeds from an olive tree, what could find the place where Arlene is resting.

best greetings now from Berlin
Sylvia
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MarieM
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Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by MarieM »

Monday is April 1 and that will mark the end of the editing/adding to the condolence thread for Arlene. We'll leave the thread open so people can still comment and express their feelings.

Thank you all so much who sent photos of Arlene. And thank you to all who shared their thoughts, prayers and condolences.
Marie
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sharon.e
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Location: TLV, Israel

Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by sharon.e »

Dear Friends,

We all knew how much Arlene meant to so many in this forum. The eulogies that poured in on her passing away thread spoke volumes, trees contributions spoke just as loudly and we wanted to share it all with you:

Marie did an exquisite job gathering the messages on the thread, together with UHTC eulogies and additional ones sent to her privately, into a beautiful memorial book.
As per the family's request, we didn't send a bouquet to the memorial and instead dedicated the entire amount collected to buying trees.
Thanks to the ample generosity of this forum, we were able to plant a GARDEN of 125 trees on Arlene's name.

We were very moved by the end result and in sending the book and trees certificate to Arlene's family (you can see a copy of it below), hoped they'd indeed succeed in conveying how much she meant to so many.

The emotional thank you message below from her son to all of you speaks better than any words we could add.

Thanks again from all of us,
Marie, Jarkko & Sharon
****************************
Dear all:

The day before I left for my home town of Toronto for my mother's memorial service, I received two packages, the tribute book and a certificate from the Jewish National Fund for the 125 trees planted in the new Arlene Dick Garden in Israel. I sat there breathless as I read every word and smiled at every photo in that book, and marveled at the certificate from that country she loved.

My mother moved to L.A. four years ago, and many people from her Toronto life weren't aware of her activities around Leonard Cohen. During my eulogy at the memorial, I showed those gathered the tribute book and mentioned the Garden. The gasps were audible and the smiles visible. People were simultaneously floored and moved. At the reception later, many guests asked to see the book and then shook their heads in amazement as they read your tributes to someone they'd known personally for many years.

It is inspiring to me and my family to see how she touched so many of you. But we are even more inspired by your thoughtful gestures. They mean more than you know.

Thank you again.
Fondly,
Leonard Dick
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Arlene's Garden Planted in Israel_April 2013-1.png
2009 Tel Aviv; San Jose
2010 Sligo [x2] ; Las Vegas [x2]
2012 Berlin; Paris; New York, Brooklyn
2013 London (Sept); Amsterdam
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lizzytysh
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Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by lizzytysh »

Dear Sharon ~

This combination of the remembrance book compiled by Marie and the trees project couldn't possibly be more beautiful... and your and then Leonard's words bring it all to the level that Arlene deserves. We anticipated a single tree and now we have an Arlene Dick Garden. Astounding! The certificate is elegant and beautiful. How humbled and honoured Arlene would be by all this.

Thank you so much for all your work... and to Marie and Jarkko, thank you for yours. xxx


~ Lizzy
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
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musicmania
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Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by musicmania »

Thanks to Sharon, Jarkko and Marie for making this happen. 125 trees is amazing! Arlene would have been so honoured by this. Leonard's letter brought a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes.
2009 Dublin 2010 Lissadell Katowice LV x2 2012 Ghent x2 Dublin x4 Montreal x2 Toronto x2 2013 New York x2 Brussels Dublin x2

Gwen's Leonard Cohen Journey: http://myleonardcohenjourney.wordpress.com/

"I did my best, it wasn't much"
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dick
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Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by dick »

Want to add my thanks-----wonderful tribute! Great letter from Leonard.
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lizzytysh
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Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by lizzytysh »

I'm so glad that Leonard, and then Arlene's many friends who knew nothing of Arlene's life with the other Leonard, were able to see and experience so beautifully and graphically all of the love we had for Arlene. Leonard's letter made it so easy to imagine his stopping all things to take it all in right then and there when it all arrived. The perfect timing.
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
Tchocolatl
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Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by Tchocolatl »

125 trees swaying to a celestial music in the wind... Thanks for the follow-up! All this is beautiful and touching like the energy she was creating.
***
"He can love the shape of human beings, the fine and twisted shapes of the heart. It is good to have among us such men, such balancing monsters of love."

Leonard Cohen
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imaginary friend
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Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by imaginary friend »

Thank you Sharon, Marie and Jarkko

for undertaking and sharing this wonderful tribute to Arlene.

xo
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B4real
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Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by B4real »

Thank you Sharon, Marie and Jarkko for organising everything so caringly.
Thank you Arlene’s Leonard for your heart-felt words.

You know, we all come from different places and are travelling down our own individual paths in life, but please know that we all take a little bit of each other with us as we go. So you see, Arlene is with us everywhere and always.

Bev
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to B4real ~ me
Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!
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mutti
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Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by mutti »

Thank you Sharon, Marie and Jarkko for the beautiful tribute organized in memory of Arlene.
I can just visualize the 'Arlene Dick Garden of Trees' in Israel. Thank you also for making the book for her family.
Son Leonard's letter was so touching and warm.
Thank you!
Leslie 8)
1988 Vancouver
2009 Victoria/Seattle/Almost Red Rocks/Las Vegas/San Jose.
2010 Sligo x 2/Victoria/Vancouver/Portland/Las Vegas x 2.
2012 Austin x 2/Seattle/Vancouver/Montreal x 2.
2013 Oakland x 2/New York City x 2/Winnipeg...
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Joe Way
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Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by Joe Way »

Thank you, Marie, Sharon and Jarkko. The letter from Leonard was beautiful.

Joe
"Say a prayer for the cowboy..."
sharon.e
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Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by sharon.e »

Today's Arlene birthday, the 1st one since her passing.
It's hard to believe it's been 11 months since she died.

I think about her often, wondering what she would have said about many things, LC and beyond, sad I can't update her about the good ending of my long hip ordeal she knew about in details, tell her I'm back to lighting Shabbat Candles, which I couldn't do for months, with no one to send the weekly "Shabbat Shalom from Eretz" photo to.

I'm writing here and on this thread today, wishing to celebrate her life and her incredible journey, rather than only remembering the day of her passing.
Happy up in the skies birthday, Arlene. You sure are missed down here.

--Sharon
2009 Tel Aviv; San Jose
2010 Sligo [x2] ; Las Vegas [x2]
2012 Berlin; Paris; New York, Brooklyn
2013 London (Sept); Amsterdam
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Goldin
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Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by Goldin »

You are missed so much, dear Arlene.
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B4real
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Re: Remembering Arlene

Post by B4real »

I also saw that it was Arlene’s birthday and I wanted to wish her Happy Birthday. I even considered sending her a PM and leaving it there to hang forever in my outbox!

Arlene definitely played a part in me deciding to go to so many Australian concerts recently. While I was weighing up the pros and cons of doing it, these words she used to often say kept going through my head, “It’s later than you think!” I took her advice from afar and am beyond glad I did! I am having some health problems now and couldn't have gone a month later! She was with me in spirit at each and every one of those concerts, especially in Adelaide.

Forever in my thoughts,
Bev
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to B4real ~ me
Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!
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