Let’s fight the darkness with light this Shabbat – Light the candles for Lori Gilbert-Kaye z”l

by Rabbi Zolly Claman

(Edmonton) – We had such a beautiful Pesach together but dampened so quickly with the news that we were met with after Havdalla last week. Exactly 6 months after the Pittsburgh shooting, to the day, he whose name deserves no mention entered the Chabad house in Poway and took the life of Lori Gilbert-Kaye, Leah Bat Re’uven, a pure soul that we now no longer have with us.

He wounded Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Almog Peretz and his 8 year old niece Noya Dahan. May they all have a speedy recovery.

As a response to those who want to deter us, we are embracing two initiatives this weekend.

The first is called “Light for Lori”. This Friday, May the 3^rd, Jewish women all over the world will light their Shabbat Candles. Lori Gilbert-Kaye will not. Can you light a candle for Lori? The initiative calls on all women to light Shabbat candles this week. To light them with a special and added intention. As you wave your hands over the candles have in mind that the pure soul of Leah Bat Re’uven should be uplifted. It was a mitzvah that was dear to her and she was dear to us – let’s have her in mind.

The second initiative is called “11:23”. The Poway attacker entered the Chabad Shul and began shooting at 11:23 AM last Shabbat. Accordingly, congregations around North America will stop services and mark it with a moment of meaning to combat this dark ideology of anti-Semitism by bringing more light into the world.

There is teaching that “Me’at or do’che harbe choshech”, that even a small amount of light can push away a lot of darkness. Imagine the power one match has in a dark room. Light the candles in Lori’s memory and come to Shul. Let’s fight darkness with light

May we share in happiness and joy – Shabbat Shalom,

Zolly Claman is the Rabbi at Beth Israel Synagogue – the family shul – in Edmonton Alberta.