Reflections on the Minneapolis Tragedy
This week, as we read Parashat Shoftim, our hearts are heavy with grief over the devastating shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. Two precious children, ages eight and ten, were taken from us during what should have been a sacred moment of worship and learning. Seventeen others were wounded in an act of senseless violence that has shaken communities far beyond Minneapolis.
In my thirty-plus years serving in religious and values-based schools, from classroom teacher to Head of School, I carried the sacred responsibility of protecting children during their most formative years. We create sanctuaries of learning where young souls can grow, question, and discover their place in this world. When violence shatters these sacred spaces, it wounds us all.
Yet even in this darkness, our Torah portion offers guidance. In Deuteronomy 16:20, we read "Tzedek tzedek tirdof" ("Justice, justice you shall pursue"). The repetition is not accidental. Our sages teach that we must pursue justice not only in our actions but in our hearts, not only for those like us but for all of humanity.
The fires raging across North America serve as both literal and metaphorical reminders of the conflagrations of hatred and division burning through our communities. Just as firefighters work together regardless of their differences to battle blazes, we too must unite across lines of faith, ideology, and politics to extinguish the flames of intolerance and violence.
Shoftim also commands us to maintain the sanctity of sacred places. Every house of worship, every school, every community center where people gather to learn and grow is sacred. When we allow violence to penetrate these spaces, we diminish the divine presence in our world.
As someone who has spent decades nurturing young minds and spirits and dedicated my life to communal service, I know that children look to us for answers when senseless tragedy strikes. We must model for them what the Psalmist knew, "Adnai is close to the brokenhearted" (Psalms 34:18).
But proximity to pain demands action. We cannot simply mourn, we must build. Our tradition teaches us that when facing difficult judgments, we must come together. We must rise above our differences and ascend to higher ground where dialogue replaces discord.
The path forward lies not in retreating to our separate corners but in the courage to build relationships across the divides that separate us. Just as the judges in Shoftim were called to seek truth through careful deliberation with others, we must engage those with whom we disagree, creating spaces for understanding rather than echo chambers of confirmation.
May the memory of these beautiful children inspire us to pursue that double portion of justice in our laws and in our hearts. May we transform our grief into action, our anger into advocacy, and our fear into faith that a better world is possible when we stand together.
Yehi zichram baruch, may their memory be a blessing that spurs us toward a more just and peaceful world. Because we are STRONGER TOGETHER!
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