On Monday, February 20th, police responded to Chesed Shel Emeth cemetery.
They found close to two hundred graves vandalized. In Judaism, we mourn our dead, at this cemetery located in U-City, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Tombstones were knocked down, showing the hatred that some people have towards the Jewish people of our community.
This cemetery holds history dating back to 1893, it honors names of those that are still being carried on today. It's our ancestors' human bodies' place of rest.
On Wednesday, February 22, just two days after this hatred act was reported on the news, over 500 people gathered to help rebuild what was broken.
Joining these volunteers were Vice President Pence and Missouri Governor Eric Greitens. There was an interfaith prayer vigil where people of all denominations came and paid their respects.
After learning about this tragedy of hostility, I asked myself, what is the most disrespectful thing someone could do?
THIS hands down is the most repulsive act I have ever observed in my life. The tombstones that were vandalized were of people that died long ago. Their souls and spirits are in heaven now, but their families are reliving the deaths of their loved ones.
When I heard about this disgusting act, I, like many others, was sent into a panic.
Was my family's lineage damaged through this terrible act of hatred? I worried and prayed that my grandmother's tombstone was still intact. I made phone calls to friends and family to share this repulsive news.
In Judaism, we are no strangers to acts of hatred. No strangers to attempts of persecution or genocide.
Yet, even after over 3,000 years of hatred and prejudice, we are still here, and we are getting louder. This hatred tears, but our hope and love replenishes stronger and deeper around the wound.
If someone out there is reading this in hatred, I want you to know that your hatred builds our community stronger than before.
Close to two hundred tombstones were vandalized, but over five hundred people left school and work to help rebuild. Thousands of dollars have been raised to replace and rebuild the tombstones, by campaigns from Muslims and Jews.
Our community stands in hope and love in times of hatred and terror.
We will continue to swallow the hate and turn it into love as these hatred events are thrown our way.
The people of Israel are alive.
Am Yisrael Chai!
עם ישראל חי
