by Shmuel Skaist

When I think of the late Allen Woody I find myself in a wishful mood. I wish I could say that I heard him play many times over the years. In fact I only heard him once when he played with Blue Floyd at the Wetlands in NYC. I wish I could say I knew him well. In fact we only met once when he played with Blue Floyd at the Wetlands in NYC. I wish I could say we had many conversations. In fact there was only the one- yes, when he played with Blue Floyd at the Wetlands in NYC. I wish I could say these things but I can not.

We spoke of many things that night. Religion, philosophy, anti-Semitism, Israel and music. The heaviest emphasis being Israel. Turns out we were both in Israel at the same time about 14 years ago. We were both studying in a yeshiva. In Jerusalem. We hung out at the same places at night and knew some of the same people. I had heard that Artimus Pyle the drummer from Lynyrd Skynyrd was in Jerusalem studying but I did not meet him nor did I meet his friend Allen Woody who was studying there too.

What impressed me most about the conversation though was not anything Allen said. Every few minutes Allen would notice another person waiting to the side to say hello and, realizing that our conversation was not going to be short, he would excuse himself and say a few quick words of greeting. At one point there was a fan who was obviously a bit different who had some really weird things to say. Allen treated her in good humor with warmth and compassion.

He impressed me as being a human being who really cared about people. There was no big star aura about him. Just an extremely real person. Wanting to make a difference. Wanting, as he told me, to bring a little light into the world. And people knew this about him.

The Jewish sages of old say that the full impact of a person on this world only begins to solidify in the hearts of loved ones and friends on the day of his funeral. This is so true of Allen as evidenced by all the correspondence on The Gov't Mule and Blue Floyd message boards which are overflowing with people from all over the world who have loved this man. And I'm not even talking about his music. People loved him for the human being he was- for his good heart.

In Ethics of Our Fathers the great Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai asks his students what they think is the best path for man to follow, the most important quality to cultivate in life. The Rabbi says he likes best the answer of Rabbi Elazar because in his answer is contained all the others. Rabbi Elazar said; A good heart.

Allen told me how much he had liked studying at Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He even remembered some of the things the Rabbi's there taught him. He wanted me to stay in touch and gave me his phone numbers. I wish I could say that I used them, kept in touch and we became close friends. I wish I could say this but I can not.

Allen, I wish I could call you now and tell you how all these people are mourning for you. How much they miss you. How you touched me and so many others in your life by being the great big-hearted caring person that you were. I wish I could say these things to you but I can not.