It has been said that in times of crisis, people show their true colors. Thursday night, in West Palm Beach, led by Chabad leaders from all over the county, an entire community showed its true colors.
The theme of the evening was a clear and simple one. We, the Jewish people who are not physically fighting on the front lines, are the spiritual soldiers. We heard inspirational messages from Rabbi Gancz of West Palm Beach, Rabbi Vigler of Palm Beach Gardens, Rabbi Raichik of Boynton Beach, and Rabbi Muskal of Wellington. We heard about the One Mitzvah program from Rebbetzin Rosenfeld of Lake Worth. All these wonderful people, spiritual warriors for Israel and the Jewish people spoke in ways that would have made the evening worthwhile and meaningful. And yet, they were only a taste of what this evening was, thanks to 3 very powerful and emotional segments.
We had the honor of hearing from Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of Palm Beach County, who made it very clear, that the Jewish people in his care were being protected. He made it clear that as he put it, his “footprint” was large, and that any bad actor with any ideas of causing any type of damage or pain to the Jewish community would be made to regret their actions. His words were supportive and comforting, and those words, but even more importantly his actions, are immensely appreciated by all of us.
We heard Cantor Aryeh Leib Hurwitz, whose beautiful and powerful voice, singing prayers and Jewish songs of hope and faith, sent chills down our collective spines, creating a range of emotions centered around hope and inspiration. One of the most powerful moments of the night coming with his rendition of El Maleh Rachamim, the cry to God to give true rest to those who have departed this earth, accompanied by former members of the IDF lighting candles in their honor and memory.
And last but not least, we heard from the children. Introduced by a video of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the children led us in song. And to the message that the Lubavitcher Rebbe gave so many years ago when Israel faced more vicious attacks from its enemies, we could hear the spiritual power in the singing of the children. The purity and innocence of a child’s voice, giving so many of us hope. We can not help but think of the children who were murdered last weekend in Israel, but last night their fellow children took the fight to the enemy, by leading us in song.
In times of darkness the world looks for light. Last night in West Palm Beach, the hundreds of people in attendance had the light shined upon them. It is now up to us to take that light and shine it upon the world. It is our time to step up and be the emotional and spiritual warriors that our brothers and sisters in Israel, and all the Jewish people of the world need.
Am Yisrael Chai.
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