From Rabbi Avi Narrow Tilonsky

Joanna

When I recall Joanna, the first thing that comes to mind is a teaching from pirkei avot which Joanna embodied. In the fifteenth mishna of the first perek, Shamai tells us
"hevei mekabel et kol adam besever panim yafot."
"receive everyone with a pleasant countenance."
Every time that I saw Joanna interacting with people she lit up. She could be enthusiastic about the most routine shul event.
Her emails contained various encouraging greetings, such as a "G'day".
Almost all of them contained at least one excited exclamation mark, and all of them signed off with her constant and sincere tagline, "with best regards."
This attitude is a huge deal. Shamai understood that it was unusual enough that is needed to be stressed in the mishna, and is not intuitive for most people.
What was Joanna's secret? How was she so able to embody this teaching with her contagious enthusiasm and bright personality?
I believe that the answer lies in an email that Joanna once sent me confirming a visit that I made to the Atria.
On Tuesday March 1st Joanna wrote:
"Hi Avi,
I just called Kathy and she definitely wants you to come at 2:30 p.m.  Have fun!"
Joanna told me to have fun visiting the Atria because helping others was truly fun for Joanna. She could be so excited when dealing with each person that visited the shul because she sincerely took pleasure in helping others.
When you become the type of person that enjoys helping others, it becomes natural to be "mekabel et kola dam besever panim yafot" "to receive each person with a pleasant countenance."
Joanna showed us the pleasure of helping and volunteering, of viewing an encounter with other people as an opportunity and a privilege.
Today we have the unfortunate task of saying goodbye to Joanna, but not to her legacy,
in her own words,
with her tagline,
"with best regards."