By COLlive and WJC.com
On Monday the Baltimore JCC held a large gathering of the Jewish community to honor and remember the wonderful Shluchim, Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkah Holtzberg HY”D, who perished in the Mumbai Massacre.
Many Chabad Rabbis and Chasidim attended, as well as Maryland Governor Mr. Martin O’Malley and Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon. In a great show of unity Jews and non-Jews alike gathered to remember the victims and spoke of the greatness of the Shluchim, and the huge effect they have around the world.
Rabbi Kaplan, Shliach said, “We have to be unequivocal about our condemnation of terror. There are no excuses. There are no justifications.”
“I think it created a sense of unity in the community. We are much more interested in bringing people together because ultimately, when people are together, we can overcome the evil that exists out there in the world,” said Rabbi Kaplan.
Governor Martin O’Malley spoke about the attacks, reminding Marylanders of our shared humanity.
“When you see hundreds of people losing their lives in such a senseless way, I think it really touches home when you hear the personal stories and the connections,” said O’Malley.
Candles were lit for the Chabad Center victims, and a message to the standing-room only crowd to respond without revenge, with faith.
Notice Rav Heineman, Rabbi Hauer, Rabbi Reznitsky, Rabbi Lowenbraun, Rav Sheftel… One thing that this tragedy did was bring Klal Yisroel together. If you are attacking this then there is something personal that is bothering you.
The Menahel R’Sheftel Neuberger is in the picture, front row
Judging from the pictures shown it is very disheartening not to see a sizable representation from the Litvishe community of Baltimore. The tragedy that occured should transcend any divisions that exist among “Bnei Torah”