9 Months Later, at Site of Har Nof Massacre: Bris for Victim’s Grandson
This story appeared in Mishpacha Magazine this week:
“9 months after 2 Arabs entered a shul in Har Nof and butchered 4 Jews and one Druze policeman,a baby entered the covenant of Avraham Avinu this week with the name of one of the deceased.
“Infant Kalman Zev Levine was named after his grandfather of the same name, an American Israeli yeshiva student and father of nine…
“When I told people the bris would be in the shul where Kalman was murdered, they said, ‘We’ll bring lots of tissues,’ said Kalman’s widow, Chaya Malka. ‘I couldn’t understand what they were talking about. The birth of a Jewish baby is such a simchah! Hashem is bringing consolation to the family. Why would anyone cry?
“My parents were Holocaust survivors. They picked themselves up and rebuilt their lives. With great simchah they raised a family dedicated to Torah and mitzvos. That’s what Jews do, and that’s what my family is doing. [Our enemies] will always try to knock us down, but we’ll always keep rebuilding. The important thing is to perpetuate the nation that lives to reveal Hashem’s greatness. Am Yisrael Chai!”
Click here to see a video and more photos from the bris
Yes! Am Yisrael Chai!
“The birth of a Jewish baby is such a simchah! Hashem is bringing consolation to the family. Why would anyone cry?”
What a beautiful perspective to apply to all areas of life.
The power of joy and positivity to completely overshadow sadness and pain.
Thank you!
Just in case anyone is interested, I have read that the widow of the heroic Druse policeman is marrying his younger brother.
On the other hand, Mrs. Levine has been a true inspiration — may Hashem give her koach to continue, and may she have much nachas from all her children in happiness and good health. The whole Har Nof community is still acutely feeing this tragedy and when two youngish people suddenly passed away last week, it re-opened the feelings of Middas HaDin hanging over them.