By Rachael Golembesky
SAN DIEGO –Coming to my mind are all the memories and fun times I experienced every time I visited my sister congregation, Chabad of Poway.
I first came to know Chabad of Poway through its youth camp. The camp run by my beloved friends, Rabbi Mendy and Rebbetzin Bluma Rubenfeld. The camp at Poway is a place where I feel safe and where I can connect with other kids like me. In the morning we will play games and then gather to pray; we will then get on the bus and go on a field trip. I have been all over San Diego with camp, but whatever we do and wherever we go I always feel special because the love that I am shown there.
My latest memory at Chabad of Poway is from just a few weeks ago. I saw Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein and his son, Rabbi Mendel Goldstein, with big welcoming smiles, standing at the front door of the shul. They welcomed people to learn about tolerance; to gather as friends, Jews and Non-Jews, neighbors, and strangers. It didn’t matter who you were or where you came from; all were welcomed with open arms and with an open door.
I was honored to hear from my front seat, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein chanting the Ani Ma’amin, an inspirational song that was sung by many Jews who perished as a way to give strength to themselves on the way to gas chambers. As a victory, today this anthem is used in many happy Jewish celebrations, with a much more joyful tune, all around the world.
Ani Ma’amin was sung for Holocaust survivors attending on that evening and to honor Mrs. Eva Schloss, step-sister of Anne Frank, as our special speaker.
Suddenly, this Shabbat I learned about a shooting in this Shul, the same Shul where I had been not too long ago, the one in which I have had so many special times.
I couldn’t believe it. But who would ever think that something like this would happen all because of, well, what? It happened because of anti-Semitism. A way of thinking that makes no sense for me caused shooting at Chabad of Poway!
On Monday, I saw the husband, daughter, and sister of Lori Kaye, in the same row of seats I had been sitting with my family just a month earlier. Lori died saving the Rabbi’s life from a bullet shot because of intolerance. She died because of hate and anti-Semitism.
Hate hurts us physically and emotionally; hate is spread through thoughts that people believe with no real facts to the point where they feel they have to do something about it.
This shul brought me so many good memories that it was the most unthinkable thing I could ever expect to happen. But why, on one of the happiest and memorable days of the year; the last day of Passover, when we celebrate our freedom from slavery in Egypt? Was that a coincidence, a reminder? I don’t know. But I do know that it was wrong and nothing like this should ever happen again to anyone that attends a house of worship; looking for a spiritual connection with our Creator.
I am praying that Hashem sends healing and comfort to the entire Jewish community and to all those around the world who ever experience the pain of hate, and evil in their lives. I also pray, for all those who ever lost a loved one or someone close because of this type of intolerance.
I keep in my heart, prayers, and songs that evil, and hatred end in the world. We can end it by fighting lies and misinformation about Jewish people.
We can do it by standing strong together as one nation under G-d.
As Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein says:
“We are strong, we are united, they can’t break us”
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Rachael Golembesky, 11, is the founder of the San Diego Jewish Book Club. She and her family are members of Chabad of Carmel Valley.