Boston-Based New England NCSY Sends Message of Humanity Following Bombing

17 Apr 2013

DIRECTOR OF BOSTON-BASED NEW ENGLAND NCSY SENDS MESSAGE OF COMFORT AND HUMANITY FOLLOWING MARATHON BOMBING

Rabbi Shmuel Miller is director of the Boston-based New England Region of NCSY, the international youth arm of the Orthodox Union. Soon after Monday’s terrorist attack in Boston, he sent the following message to his NCSYers:

Dear Family,

Yes, you are family.

On one level, all of humanity is part of one extended family.

And we, unfortunately, tend to feel this most when confronted with a tragedy.

And Monday, we were hit.

Each of us.

The closer we were, the more we felt it.

I, like many, was shocked and horrified. Again.

I am reminded of two realities:

1- Evil exists. And people are capable of expressing that evil without discrimination.

2- We are connected. And we don’t even need to know one another to suddenly connect.

Yet, it is because evil exists that expressions of love, goodness, kindness, concern, benevolence, altruism and the like are virtues.

Because when we choose goodness, we become Tov- Good. Like God.

And if we choose to destroy and harm, we become Rah- Evil. Not Godly.

All other times, we are in a state of potential.

So I can say Tehillim (psalms), comfort others, and do my part here in Boston.

And I can feel joy and grateful that the Jewish People have a Home, our Home, called Eretz Yisrael.

And I can invite others to share in the beauty of Jewish living which puts all of life’s events and experiences into a context where we can feel close to Hashem.

With Blessings,

Rabbi Shmuel Miller

OU | Enhancing Jewish Life