In the midst of our enjoyment of being together on Thanksgiving, across the world another family is ripped apart --permanently. Like everyone else, we watched the story unfold in Mumbai this weekend, and learned about the horrific deaths of a young Jewish couple who ran the city's Chabad House, and left behind a son, Moshe, who turns 2 years old today.
It's a reminder of how cruel and sad the world is. And how small the world is. Because it turns out that both Daniel and I attended Yom Kippur services this year led by Chabad rabbis personally connected to this tragedy.
The murdered rabbi, Gavriel Holtzberg, was the first cousin of the rabbi who led the service I attended. He too is a young father, and here is part of an email he sent out that he called "Shock, Pain and Tears":
At a time like this, what can one say? We are all reeling from the senseless horror...among the victims, members of ...my family who dedicated their all too short lives to helping their fellow Jews....Our hearts are breaking, and the questions, the questions....
I have no words to articulate the depth of my pain. After having sat glued to media reports for the past 40 hours--waiting, praying and hoping for a good conclusion which did not materialize. I am left to mourn the tragic end to the lives two extraordinary people. Gabi and Rivka uprooted themselves from a life of comfort and convenience to live thousands of mile away from the familiar surroundings of New York and Israel, and moved to India. There they inspired and cared for the scores of Jewish tourists, business people and locals who frequented their Chabad House. And it was there on the frontlines that the Holtzbergs, a young couple who gave up the comforts of Israel and America, made the ultimate sacrifice. We have no words, we have no answers. We don't begin to understand (God's) ways, nor are we expected to. Only God himself can restore the light of Moshe's life, and comfort him and the rest of this aching world. We only know that until He does that, we must continue their life's work. They deserve no less.
Whatever your own personal religious beliefs, senseless tragedy and hatred force many of us to confront the most confounding questions. I am not religious, and at times of my greatest pain, I have found myself questioning the wisdom and existence of God. My intent here isn't to get into theological or spiritual issues so far above my head. But I have seen many people sustained by faith in the worst of times. And I've often wondered how they manage not to blame God when a senseless tragedy happens. How do they accept the worst, and continue to believe? The words of this young rabbi gave me some insight, along with his acceptance that there are never going to be any answers.
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