By: Roberta Witkow
Director, Women’s Philanthropy
Parshat Chukat contains many complexities, but one quiet moment stands out and resonates with me: the death of Miriam. Her passing is mentioned almost in passing—“and Miriam died there and was buried there,” (Numbers 20:1). Immediately after, the people are without water. The symbolism is powerful: Miriam’s steady, sustaining presence is gone, and only in her absence do we truly feel the loss.
Miriam wasn’t the miracle-worker like Moses or the priest like Aaron. She didn’t seek the spotlight rather, she was a quiet presence who showed up and stood up for the people around her. As a child, she watched over Moses on the Nile. Later, she led the women in song at the sea. Her leadership was quiet and unwavering.
For Moses, in losing Miriam, he not only lost his sister. He lost the human foundation of his life. In many ways, Miriam represents the special women in my life. Due to family circumstances, I didn’t have the foundation many take for granted. But as a teen and young adult, I was fortunate to be embraced by two women who stepped in and offered me guidance, showing me how to move through the world with grace. They became the role models that (at the time) I never knew I needed.
They changed my life, and, as I’ve grown, I’ve tried to pass that forward in my own quiet way. Whether it was opening my home for BBG programs, advocating for those navigating illness, or mentoring young professionals, I have found joy and purpose in being that quiet support for others.
Miriam reminds us that quiet actions create a ripple effect of good, leaving a small legacy in their wake. It’s often the little things that make a big difference.
As Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (z”l) said, “Those we loved and lost live on in us, as we will live on in those we love. For love is as strong as death, and the good we do never dies.”
This Shabbat, I invite you to reflect: “What legacy do I want to leave behind? How do I carry forward the lessons of those who created a path for me? And how will I show up for others and the community?”
May we honor those who came before us by carrying their legacy forward—quietly, consistently, and with intention.
Please email Roberta Witkow at rwitkow@jewishcolorado.org with questions or comments.