Indian Tragedy

I'm not religious, but I consider one Orthodox Rabbi a pretty good friend. Wifey and I met Rabbi Yossi and his wife Nechama in 1995 when they moved to Miami and became tennants in our rental house.

Through them, we learned and became familiar with Chabad Lubavitch, their outreach group, which sends young emmissaries around the world, not to proselytize, but to try to bring more Jewishness to lapsed members of the tribe.

These emmissaries, called Schluchim, tend to be young, charming, and energetic couples, some of whom go to the world's far corners.

Well, two of them were killed last week, in the terrorist attack in Mumbai India. When it was first reported that their Chabad house was one of the targets of these creeps, along with some hotels and restaurants, Rabbi Yossi sent out an emergency email, asking everyone to pray, and to do acts of charity in honor of his friends, the Holtzbergs.

We complied, sending a check to a charity raising money to give a Bahamian boy a liver transplant (in yet another Miami small world story, the boy is one of my friend Barry's patients).

Well, the worst fears were confirmed, and the young rabbi and his wife were killed, though their toddler son was rescued by a nanny.

Yossi sent an email that showed his grief and shock. He knew these two for years. He asked us all to light shabbat candles --to bring light into a darkened world.

So the waxing and waning of human goodness goes on. As we were celebrating a joyous weekend, with D1 turning 20, and our amazing family's togetherness, another family was burying two young people, and making plans to raise their orphaned children.

Rabbi Yossi teached that God is in charge of all, and that it's as pointless to try to figure out God's logic as it is for a 2 year old to figure out why his parents do what they do to love and protect him. I guess he's right --there's no sense to this to me at all.

Jim Morrison noted that no one here gets out alive. I guess the only logical thing to do is enjoy the party while it's going on.