On behalf of the Solomon and Pantel Families

I am writing in honour of my late cousin Mark Solomon, who passed away much too soon in June 2003. He was loved deeply and survived by his two daughters Pheobe and Miki, his parents Eileen and Dave and siblings Robert, Bonnie-Sue and Matthew and many cousins, aunts and uncles and friends in our large and loving extended family.

Family meant everything to Mark — and it means everything to us. As such, both the Solomon family and the Pantels got together to create the Mark Solomon Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund to ensure his legacy and all that he stood for endures.

Mark was passionate about community, family and Jewish life. He had a tremendous appreciation for growing up in a strong Jewish community and a loving family where tradition, morals and values were passed on through generations. He believed all children should have the same kinds of opportunities.

His philosophy — and that shared by all of us — was that the more you invest in educating children the better off the world will be. No child should miss the opportunity for an education.

Mark's fund invests in Tel-hai Academic College's Centre for Gifted Children in Israel. The Scholarship Fund is for children who socio-economically may not otherwise have a chance for an education. And it's not just for Jewish children but also our neighbors in the secular community. Kids are kids, after all, and Tzedakah is about helping all our neighbors in need.

If Mark were to leave a message to his children and future generations, it would likely be something like this:

Remember who you are and where you come from. Teach your children well so that they carry forward the Jewish values to their own children and future generations. Try to be there for others in need.

He has always inspired us in life and he continues to do so in memory.