Elie Wiesel said “Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must - at that moment - become the center of the universe.”  If we hold true to that quote, it seems like lately the center of the universe keeps shifting more rapidly than we can trace.  To me, it’s felt a little bit like one hateful event after the other keeps occuring.  It can be easy to grow numb.  50 good, peace loving men, women, and children were killed for simply exercising their right to practice their religion.  I can think of little that’s more of an affront to society and the pursuit of a peaceful world.  Truth be told, I can think of little to say about it either.  What can one say when speaking about such a horrific tragedy?  All I can think to do is to also draw focus to everyone here, standing in solidarity with Muslim brothers and sisters and with the people of Christchurch.  To remember that when the shooter barged into the mosque to massacre people for practicing their faith, he was greeted by a man who said “hello brother.”  To focus on the courage of that man, who in the face of death still wanted nothing more than to spread peace, even to those who might not deserve it.  And to remember that there are many people out there like that man, who are fighting for a more peaceful and loving world.

At a time like this, after such an event, I can admit that it doesn’t seem to matter much that there are good people out there seeking peace.  It can be all too easy to simply give in to bitterness.  There’s certainly just cause to do so.  But I think it’s important to have faith in what Martin Luther King Jr. said, that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.

If you all will indulge me, I’d like to share a poem by Rabbi Allen Maller that just recently helped me through a loss.  It’s titled ‘When All That’s Left is Love.’

When I die
If you need to weep
Cry for someone
Walking the street beside you.
You can love me most by letting
Hands touch hands, and
Souls touch souls.
You can love me most by
Sharing your Simchas and
Multiplying your Mitzvot.
You can love me most by
Letting me live in your eyes
And not on your mind.
And when you say
Kaddish for me
Remember what our
Torah teaches,
Love doesn’t die
People do.
So when all that’s left of me is love
Give me away.


I don’t pretend I can speak for them in any sense, but I think that poem is applicable for the peace loving and faithful people of Christchurch.  I think that when we die, the best thing others can do for us is to spread the love we carried in our own lives.  I’ll try to do that as best I can for those who were so egregiously taken from us.

Me and my Jewish brothers and sisters stand in solidarity with you.