The shooting at Chabad of Poway resonated deep inside me. Only four years ago, I was tied-up at gunpoint by three armed thugs when they robbed my studio. After staring down the barrel of a gun, knife to my throat, wondering if it will be my last moment—I am grateful to still be alive. However, horrific attacks like these rob us of our innocence and sense of security. This past Sabbath service at Chabad, these feelings struck home again. Instead of the typical cheerful sounds of children playing hoops outside, we were all inside guarded by heavily armed security. It was eerie. Just a few days before, we remembered the Holocaust and suddenly this was not just a chapter in history—it was a reality. Right here, in beautiful sunny southern California, in the Land of the Free, Jews were forced to be locked down in their house of worship. And I wondered Why?
The day after the robbery, I came back determined to rebuild my studio and not allow the incident to define my life—and I made it even better. This is the legacy of the Jewish people. Despite countless atrocities, we never gave up, and went on to rebuild our homeland into a beautiful thriving country. Still I wonder why—why are rockets falling? Why all the killings? Why are churches burning? Why are leaders not taking action? Why does the world not open its eyes? So many whys...
There are no easy answers, but I still have faith that if we each take responsibility for our actions the pieces will fall into peace. "They shall turn their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they know war any more." (Isaiah 2:4)
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