Every life is precious

Once again we are reminded that our comfortable lives are really quite fragile and that we are utterly dependent on Hashem’s kindness and on each other.

One life is every life. With each dark report from Eretz Yisroel, we feel pain. Each victim is —literally — our brother, sister, mother, father, daughter and son.

The same is true in each of our communities here on Long Island.

When the parents of a 29-year-old Lawrence man were concerned over their son’s disappearance over Shmeni Atzeres, the community came out to help — no questions asked. One-thousand people scoured homeless shelters, hospitals, parks and streets through the night, looking for our brother. When he returned home on motzei Shabbos, everyone was grateful. And again, no questions were asked.

To Am Yisroel, every life is precious. In the Five Towns and our other Long Island communities, countless individuals and organizations — Achiezer and Hatzalah are two of many — devote themselves every day to helping on a micro-scale, one yid at a time, and on a broad plane as needed.

We pray for a resolution to the conflict in Israel but know with certainty that whatever developments may unfold in coming weeks, we will continue to stand as one, resolute in our determination to secure our place in the land that is Hashem’s perpetual gift to each of us.