On February 17, 2023, Moses Elisaph “venerated himself to his father” (Judges 2:10) and two days later was buried in the Jewish cemetery of Janina. The day before yesterday ended the period of sloshim (man, 30 days of mourning), corresponding to forty days of Christians. He himself organized everything related to his funeral. A man who was not religious, who did not observe the religious and dietary rules of Judaism, gave clear orders for his funeral and even decreed that the prescribed mourning food should be offered in his house after the funeral and that the prescribed prayer and candles (kiria, tearing of clothing) . For someone who lost 35 of his close relatives in the Holocaust, Jewish identity is absolutely undeniable, but these commandments mean something more than taken for granted, they mean, I think, honor in the memory of his parents, honor in the memory of the ancestors of the small community of Ioannina. Moses Elisaph knew the impact his funeral would have, and he wanted this honor not to be limited to himself, but to extend to his community, the community of the dead in essence.

The death of Moses Elisaph really aroused pan-Hellenic emotions. I don’t recall the death of another mayor in recent decades that would have caused something like this. All Greece mourned its mayor. What explains this? The work he did in Ioannina? But most people don’t know this. Extraordinary cultural events they organized? But they were addressed to 100-200 people. Let’s not multiply unnecessary questions: the explanation is his face, what he was! The whole world, both scientists and non-scientists, intuitively recognized in the person of Moses Elisaph a rare combination of morality and ability, honesty and efficiency, intellectual education and practical spirit, foresight and realism, mind and kindness, authority and presence.

The whole world, learned and unlearned, intuitively recognized in his face a rare combination of morality and ability.

It struck me that in the obituaries that were spoken or written to Moses Elisaph, how many times the word “friend” was mentioned. In some cases, I know that these were recent acquaintances that have not yet developed into friendships. It takes time and many meetings to bring forth the rare species that friendship is. Yet all those who spoke of their friendship with Moses Elisaph were not lying. It was he who conveyed this feeling to them, made them feel like friends, and not just acquaintances. Moses Elisaph had the ability for friendship, he knew how to be a friend, he knew how to walk beside you, stand quietly and unnoticed, without making you feel obligated, he knew how to strengthen and encourage, he was generous and hospitable. , a good and honest interlocutor, without half-talks and omissions. It was prestigious, but not flashy, it was easy. You were happy to be with him. In the history of thought, from Aristotle to the present day, the question of friendship has been discussed many times. Whichever way you look at it, it is certain that friendship needs selflessness in order to exist. This is not limited to the virtuous, as Aristotle intended, but self-serving and selfish narcissists can never be friends. Precisely because friendship requires selflessness, it never remains an entirely private matter, but it is also reflected in public life. Moses Elisaf was a friend in the most unfriendly world, that is, in the world of politicians. He ruled the city of Ioannina the way he did because he knew how to be a friend. He ruled with the dedication of a friend.

I must add that Moses Elisaph was a man of culture and education, that is, not to mention the air, a man who read a lot. One of the reasons why he made the right choice in his social life is due precisely to the criteria that he developed through his education. He not only read, but also wrote. Polis publications decided to publish a selection of his texts, which will show the breadth of his education.

Moses gave me a great gift to live with him in the last days of his life. We exchanged a lot in those hours, now that the lies have been saved, which I keep to myself because of my personal grief. I will just say a couple of words, without going into details, because I believe that how we die matters to others as well. Great doctor, he knew exactly what was happening to him. He could not be deceived even for a moment by false hopes. He was afraid, very afraid, he was crying. I mean it in an absolutely positive way, as a deeply human attitude towards the inevitable approach of death. He did his best medically, he didn’t give up. All these last days, and not three months, his thoughts were occupied with what he considered his great work in the municipality of Ioannina, the culmination of his life and contribution, and he tried not to waste what he had done. but keep going. When he realized that the last hope of even a small extension was lost, he left Athens with the clear decision to return home to die. He gave his wife detailed instructions for his funeral and almost peacefully closed his eyes. He died a little prematurely, but lived a rich life, loved and was loved. I do not know how much this could console him in the last days of his life. May he rest in peace. In eternal memory, he is righteous (Psalm (111 (112): 6)).