When I was 2 or 3 I caught a glimpse of "Star Trek: The Original Series" on TV. I was captivated. By the time I was 5, I was hooked on "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
Jean-Luc Picard was the moral center of that show. He represented humanity's best. There was no other like him. Captain Picard taught me the values of humanism, before I even knew what humanism was.
His actor, Patrick Stewart, became one of the most admired and imitated and memed people of all time. His influence cannot be understated. This was a man who graces 10% of all internet memes. He will be remembered a long time, which in this age of fast-moving information, is monumental.
Earlier the same week, we lost Walter Koenig.
Now, we grieve Patrick Stewart.
It is comforting to know that Patrick's battle with Alzheimer's and Lewy body Dementia was short. For the majority of his life, he got to do what he loved.
Patrick was a humanitarian, a committed socialist, and a cultural treasure.
He died peacefully in his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by friends, but leaving a vast emptiness in the hearts of those who admired him.
In the Jewish culture, we have a saying: "May his memory be a blessing." Zikhro livrakha.
May his memory also be a calling to those who believe that humanity can better itself, can see itself through its darkest times to a brighter future. May his memory be a calling to those who demand better in their own time, a calling to the artists, writers, performers and revolutionists for whom "Star Trek" represents an idealized future.
