Hi,

I assume that by now you have heard of the suicide bombing in Netanya.

It’s very sad when we find ourselves saying, “Thank G-d, only two people killed”.

But we do need to say it.

… I wanted to share two experiences that I had today.

This morning at synagogue, I noticed an elderly man saying Kaddish. 

The prayer said in memory of a loved one.

This man survived four years in Auschwitz.

The only member of his family to survive the Holocaust.

He’s also the sweetest man you could imagine!

I decided to go over to him. And show him that I share his pain.

He motioned to me to sit down.  And started talking.

“Today is the day they shot my brother in front of my eyes.”

He started crying.

And started reminiscing about his whole family.

But he told me how he never lost his faith in G-d.   That his faith is what kept him alive.

And I told him that I am humbled and inspired to be talking to him.

Before I knew it?

He switched gears.

And started talking about his nine great grandchildren.  Plus a tenth on the way!

How he never dreamed that he would live to see it.

He was still crying.

But very different tears.

… Then I got an e-mail message from a teenage boy.

He’s a great kid, loves Jewish learning and has become a special friend of mine.

Wanted to learn Hebrew.  And decided to go toIsraeland take an Ulpan.

In Netanya! 

Here’s his e-mail message.

“Rabbi,

 Don’t worry everything is okay.  I was ten minutes away from the bombing…

The important thing is to keep the faith.  You’ll have no trouble at that.

Anyway, keep the Shabbat Faxes coming and I hope you don’t know anyone in this

attack either.”

… He said that I (Rabbi Katz) will have no trouble keeping my faith?

He’s right.

After schmoozing with a great grandfather who survived Auschwitz.

And hearing from a teenager like him in Netanya?

I will have no problem keeping my faith!

All the best,