Jonathan Gross - Memorial Service
Monday, 14 February 2011
Dear friends
Firstly, may I welcome you to Bevis Marks and thank Rabbi Levy both for officiating here today and enabling us to hold this Memorial Service in this beautiful and historic building, and I would also like to thank the choir for adding so much to the sense of occasion.
Today is not really the time for a history lesson, save to say that the synagogue was opened in 1701 and, since then, has never closed – an achievement unmatched in Europe. It has witnessed many unique events, has welcomed the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall and, most recently, Jewish Lord Mayors of London have chosen to make Bevis Marks the location of their first official visit after having taken the oath as Lord Mayor and, for me, it has a very special meaning being the synagogue where our daughter was married.
We are now in an historic location in the centre of the area where the first Jewish Community established itself after their readmission to this country in 1656, and also, of course, just a few hundred yards from the Lloyd’s building.
That of course is a building very well known to virtually everyone here and was a home from home on his many visits to London for Jonathan.
I first met Jonathan in 2002 shortly after I became Chairman of Lloyd’s. Like so many who met and got to know him, I realised quickly that here was a man who was very able, smart, successful, yet modest and, above all, immensely likeable. A man who above all, as the obituary written by his partners described him – as a Mensch –the Yiddish word which almost defies translation other than to say that it is a personality which we all strive to achieve.
Jonathan was a Sabra – a native born Israeli – but unlike so many Sabras, he did not have the characteristic of being prickly, he was always concerned to deal with everyone with enormous consideration. But behind that exterior was a super fit sportsman, an elite paratrooper and a man who was devoted to his family, to his country and to his profession.
That his loss was felt profoundly goes without saying – witness the enormous number who attended his funeral. His reputation which was of a hugely capable man and a great achiever sat lightly on his shoulders, and there was never a trace of arrogance.
I recall being invited with Wendy to an Erev Shabbat dinner at his home with Ronit and the girls when we were joined by a former Prime Minister, without fuss or ceremony, but testifying to Jonathan’s place in Israeli society.
Professionally, he was a very successful and accomplished lawyer, having been trained before returning to Israel at one of the most prestigious law firms in the USA.
For Lloyd’s, Jonathan built on the very strong foundations which his father Baruch had developed for some 50 years, and for which we celebrated 60 years of successful achievement just a couple of years ago. Jonathan succeeded in developing Baruch’s work to a point that Israel has become by far the largest Lloyd’s market in the Middle East.
Jonathan was a great colleague and a pleasure as someone with whom to work. We developed a true friendship and working relationship which I know was shared by all of my colleagues in the Lloyd’s market.
And then, out of the blue, two years ago, Jonathan called me to tell me of the lymphoma which had developed; but typically he fought it and, after a tough year, told me last summer that he had won and nothing gave me greater pleasure than to see that he had won and was on the road to recovery. I then saw him in Tel Aviv and in London and I believed that he had indeed won.
But sadly and incredibly it was not to be. To us and all his colleagues it has been a cruel and terrible blow – but this does not compare with the pain felt by Ronit, Danielle, Shelly, and Sharon as well as Jonathan’s parents, Baruch and Margot. There is very little that we can say to ease their pain, but in having Ronit and Margot, and the girls here with us today, I hope that to see so many people thousands of miles from home come together to pay tribute to a wonderful son, husband and father, will bring some comfort in reinforcing their memories of a man whom we all miss so much.
I am now going to hand over to Danieli, Shelley, Ronit and Margot who would like to pay their own tributes– and just before I sit down, would like to invite you all to join us together with the family immediately after the conclusion of the service, in the Lloyd’s building on the 11th floor.
For those of you who may not yet have had the opportunity to do so, the book of condolences will be at Lloyd’s should you wish to add your tribute and signature.
Thank you.