Joyce Fienberg, 75
Richard Gottfried, 65
Rose Mallinger, 97
Jerry Rabinowitz, 66
Cecil Rosenthal, 59
David Rosenthal, 54
Bernice Simon, 84
Sylvan Simon, 86
Daniel Stein, 71
Melvin Wax, 87
Irving Younger, 69
“Anyone who destroys a life is considered by Scripture to have destroyed an entire world” (Mishnah Sanhedrin). 11 worlds lost and countless lives scarred forever.
The Jewish response to those that have died as Jews is clear: Live as a Jew.
You want us to be scared to be Jewish and we will stretch our Jewish muscles and live more Jewishly.
You knock us down and we will get up and live.
You bring death to our places of worship so we will plant the seeds of life to it.
You kill my brothers and sister… and I, your Jewish Doctor, will heal you as a Jew… and you will realize that our love burns stronger and deeper than your hate.
“Do I desire the death of the wicked? says the Lord God. Is it not rather in his repenting of his ways that he may live?” (Yechezkel 18:23). We will not rest until those consumed by hate will bow down to love.
I will conclude by sharing one inspiring response made by someone from the Buffalo Jewish community and I urge us all to take his example and to live, even more, as proud Jews:
Today I decided that I was going to wear a Kippah all day. This is something I have never done outside of the comfort of my home or our synagogue. I did it for multiple reasons: 1. I am very proud of who I am as a Jew in our community. 2. To use it as an opportunity to teach my students about who I am and what it means to me to be Jewish. And 3. Most importantly, because I choose not to live in fear. I am and always will be proud of the choice I made to be Jewish and I will continue to wear this passion on my head, on my shoulders and most importantly on my heart. Shalom!
l’Chaim, to life! Shabbat Shalom!