I am not qualified to comment on the tragedy that has just occurred. The only reason I wish to speak now is because it would be callous to pretend this isn’t happening, that we can just talk merrily about this herb and that spice when our brothers and sisters lay crushed beneath hundreds of tons of cement and steel.
When I was in high school the Lubavitcher Rebbe passed away, and I felt so alone and broken that day in class. To this day, 27 years later, I deeply appreciate the teachers who took the time to acknowledge his passing, mention a story about him, shed a tear, and, like one did, forego the entire lesson to talk about his greatness.
Now, when 12 are confirmed dead and 150 unaccounted for, buried in the rubble that was a a12 story building, I want to say, we are all in this together. The missing husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, grandparents, sons, daughters, sisters and brothers are like our sisters and brothers. Their tragedy is our tragedy. We are all struggling to survive emotionally, and there are really no words to say.
The rabbis told us that when walls of buildings fall and people die, we need to all introspect (and fast, in days when we were stronger). To look inward and improve ourselves, make amends with those who’ve become distant to us, and for sure, get close to HaShem, our Creator.
Years ago I lived across the street from the building; after that only a block away for many more years. This story hits very close to home.
There’s one person from that building that I personally know, a tzaddik of a man, patient, kind, an excellent doctor, and that’s enough to make this story my story. And to cry, and to pray. His young daughter sits there at the site saying tehilim. The mayor was so touched he spoke about it on TV. “She looked so lost,” he said. “That I want to tell her, we’re here for you and we'll do all we can.” True, he’s a politician, so it’s hard to know what he means exactly, but it was sweet.
We are all lost.
The feeling of not knowing where your father is, and possibly never being able to see your father again when you need him in your life…
These feelings are universal.
Let’s channel these feelings to reaching out with love to see if the families need help, and also to reaching out to our Father Hashem and begging, “You are too far from us, we are lost in this exile. It’s too much.”
I want to add that my brother Rabbi Aryeh Citron lives in Surfside and is distraught over missing many friends from the building. He sent me this message:
“I am starting a fund for several of the families whose loved ones are missing in the Champlain tower collapse.
Donations are tax deductible.
Surfside Minyan EIN number 86-2419371
(The 501c3 status is pending and will be, G-d willing, retroactive.)
You can zelle the donations to surfsideminyan@gmail.com
(Or contact me for other ways to send)
Please put ‘Champlain families fund’ in the memo.
All funds will be used for the families that are displaced or bereaved
Thank you.”
May Hashem make miracles happen soon, and may the grieving families find comfort and hope.
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