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Shulamith principal reflects on walkout

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Dear Shulamith Family,

Wednesday morning was a powerful one as we commemorated the victims of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. 

In the wake of senseless crime and tragedy, we find that we are often shaken with a feeling of helplessness. While we recognize that we are not able to fix the challenges that face our country at the moment, we are not free to ignore the pain of those that lost their loved ones. We believe that there are moments like these that we are called upon to react.

The students of Parkland, Florida were high school teens. Yet, they will not have the opportunity to sign their high school yearbooks, laugh in their student lounge or attend their high school graduation.  While so much may divide us, it is important for us to find the common thread of humanity that connects us. The survivors of Parkland High School asked teenagers around the world to care. And so, we did.

For thousands of years, we as Jews respond to pain with our tefillot, emunah, and commitment to kindness and Jewish purpose. While the light of others was tragically extinguished, we must remind ourselves of our responsibility to light up the world, to be mekadesh shem shamayim with the power of our middot, empathy and chessed.

Some quote from students as they read bios of the victims:

“Kindness, empathy, and peace are the core of our Torah values.”

“17 minutes — is one minute enough to commemorate a life? ” 

“We should never take a day of life for granted.  We must carry their inspiration and hopes into our lives”

“How can we be leaders if we don’t stop to see others?”

The girls sang in Hebrew these poetic words, “We must always know to put our trust in Hashem.”

The program closed with tehillim and our tefillot for the peace and safety for the United States of America. May we be zoche to share smachot together.

Best,

Rina Zerykier, Principal

Shulamith High School for Girls