Editor’s note: The author is a relation by marriage of Nina and Rabbi Mordechai Glick.
The Etz Chaim Center of Greater Philadelphia extends its sincerest condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh.
This horrible tragedy hit me on a personal level. My mother lives in Squirrel Hill, just a few blocks away from the Tree of Life Synagogue. She personally knew five of the murdered victims. Bernice Rothenberg Simon, who was killed along with her husband, Sylvan, was a bridesmaid at my mother’s wedding some 65 years ago. She and her husband were close friends of my mother. The two brothers, Cecil and David Rosenthal, grew up in East Liberty, where my mother’s mother lived. She babysat them when they were little. They were the sons of the sister of one of my mother’s closest friends, Flo Sonnenklar. Their grandfather was Herman Feinberg, who was one of the great leaders of the Pittsburgh Jewish community generations ago. Another victim, Dan Stein, was, according to my mother, “the salt of the earth.” She said he was one of her favorite people in the entire world. He was active in everything in the shul. He headed committees, he ran events, just everything. His wife is the current president of the sisterhood.
My mother has been badly shaken up, the Jewish community in Squirrel Hill is reeling, Jews the world over are stunned and worried about the future. Tragedy is nothing new to us; however, we tend to become stronger as a people after events like these; we strengthen our resolve to live as proud Jews and to put aside our petty differences. These 11 holy souls were killed only because they were Jews. This is called dying al pi kiddush Hashem, dying and sanctifying God’s name, one of the greatest acts a Jew can do. Let us magnify their kiddush Hashem by resolving to become better people and by deepening our connection to Judaism. May we soon see the day when evil will be eradicated from the face of this world and where only love, peace and respect will rule the day.
By Rabbi Dovid Wachs
Rabbi Dovid Wachs is director of the Etz Chaim Center of Philadelphia.
