Ben Gailing Z"L 1898 - 1999

Ben Gailing died Saturday, March 27, 1999, at the age of 100, at the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Roslindale (Boston), Massachusetts, where he had lived for the past eight years. This web page consists of a growing collection of text, images, audio, and video material in various languages, primarily English and Yiddish, and is dedicated to Ben's memory.

Updates/News:

• Apr. 22, 2009: Ben Gailing's 10th Yahrtzeit was recently publicly observed at Boston's Vilna Shul, hosted by Hankus Netsky:
  
  • Boston's Freylekher Kabtsn: A Tribute to Ben Gailing on his 10th Yahrtzeit
  • Sunday, April 19, 2009
  • 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Location: Vilna Shul, 18 Phillips St., Boston, MA 02114
  
  - Read Hankus Netsky's article Ben Gailing's Enduring Legacy
  .
  - Click here to download an Announcement Email (PDF).
  
  
• September 18, 2005: An email from Ben's step-niece:

  Ben Gailing was survived by other relatives other than Gail Liebowitz.
  Namely Esther Kohn, Linda Weiss and Jerry Gailing.  These were his
  nieces and nephew from his brother Max Gailing.
   
  Ben was one of four brothers, along with Harry, Max and Oscar.  They
  were the most devoted brothers you could ever meet.
   
  On Sunday at the Gailing's (the parents of the brothers) house you
  could always hear music and singing.  Their love for music and each
  other was remarkable.
   
  I was a very little girl at the time but that memory is strong in the
  mind and heart.  I am Max Gailing's step daughter Bernice.  Max
  married by mom, Doris Gailing who is now 95 and the only survivor of
  that generation.
  

Links:

• Ben Gailing's Enduring Legacy, a tribute and announcement of a program for Ben's 10th Yahrzeit, by Hankus Netsky and the National Yiddish Book Center. Also gives access to rare archival recordings of Ben.
• On Radio station WBUR's Here and Now program for Wednesday, April 7, 1999, on WBUR 90.9 FM, 12:00 noon, Tovia Smith and Hankus Netsky paid tribute to Ben Gailing in a wonderful chat, with samples of Ben's radio shows, old and new. Listen... (Thanks to WBUR's Here and Now producers for making this recording available through real audio.) [in English] ( Real Audio Player required to listen.)
• Alt.Radio.Oldtime Notice, April 6, 1999. [in English]
• Miriam Libenson: In Memory of Ben Gailing from the funeral service, Monday, March 29, 1999. [in Yiddish]
• Obituary from The Forward, April 2, 1999. [in English]
• Ben Gailing, by David Maisel, from Yiddish in Boston, 1988. [in English]
• Radio Program Listing at The Yiddish Voice. [in English]
• Recordings of Recent "Ben Gailing 'Freylekher Kabtsen'" Shows: ( Real Audio Player required to listen.)
  • Dec. 9, 1998
  • Dec. 2, 1998
  • Nov. 4, 1998

Shown above: Ben Gailing, in foreground, celebrates his 100th Birthday Party, Hanukkah 1998. Behind Ben, left to right: Donna Halper, Edith Perry, Mark David, Hankus Netsky.

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