Where There is Light, Darkness Cannot be Present

I don’t generally join my voice in political debates outside the comfort of my home and I avoid the news in general because I feel little good can come of dwelling on the evil in this world.

With that being said I feel especially moved to write a post about the recent shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill, only 23 miles from my home. I have a heavy heart for the all families who lost their loved ones and for the Jewish community that was targeted for this attack. While there have been a number of attacks over the years, this one in particular genuinely hurt my heart and angered my soul. It is hard for me to fathom there can be such hate and evil in the world. Though I am not Jewish, as a Christian I believe that the Jews are God’s chosen people and for that I hold a special place in heart for his people. I don’t believe that as humans we should coexist, but that we should love those around us and embrace our differences. What kind of world would it be if we were all the same?

A member of a Facebook group I am apart of sent out a request to join her in showing support for the families and Jewish community by turning on our porch lights this evening. I decided to take it a step further and I commit to leave my lights on from now until the last day the families sit shiva.

Jewish Tradition

Judaism provides a structured period of mourning that allows mourners to gradually heal by going through the different stages of grief so the mourner is able to cope with the loss and return to their normal routine. Shiva is the seven-day mourning period observed by first degree relatives of the deceased. During shiva mourners typically do not leave their home. The purpose of the shiva is to provide an environment of comfort and community for the mourners. A candle traditionally burns in the shiva home for seven days as a sign of memorial.

There are various ways to express condolences for someone of the Jewish faith including:

• Making a shiva call
• Sending a traditional food to the shiva house
• Planting a tree in Israel
• Sending a sympathy or shiva basket
• Making a donation in memory of the deceased to the synagogue or organization the individual was associated with. Part of the foundation of Judaism is to perform an act of tzedakah, or charity, to honor the memory of the deceased.

My Promise

So, in mirroring the Jewish tradition of burning a candle, I will keep my porch lights lit until the last day of shiva is observed as a memorial to those that were lost, and as a sign of my love and support for the families and Jewish community. I will also perform an act of tzedakah and make a donation in memory of the 11 souls that were taken from this Earth to the Tree of Life Synagogue to the Tree of Life Congregation and the New Light Congregation.  Additionally, there is a gofundme page set up to help the Tree of Life Synagogue congregation with the physical damages to the building, as well as the survivors and the victims’ families.

I hope you will consider joining me as an act of love, support, and expression of intolerance of evil and hate.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your families as you mourn the loss of your loved ones.

David Rosenthal

Cecil Rosenthal

Melvin Wax

Joyce Fienberg

Richard Gottfried

Rose Mallinger

Jerry Rabinowitz

Bernice Simon

Sylvan Simon

Daniel Stein

Irving Younger

References

• Shiva.