Shiva: Time dies out but pain remains within
With only two days left of shiva, a pulsating crowd of Jews eagerly wait outside the Kletzky Borough Park home, Monday, to pay respects to the parents and sisters of young—brutally murdered—Leiby HY’’D.
A mix of several police officers, reporters and photographers occupied the sidewalk space facing the front door of the Kletzkys’ 15th avenue apartment building. Many of them noticed the flyers attached to doors and windows, requesting that the family’s privacy be respected during this hard time.
However, the inside of the apartment was filled to capacity. A gentleman was designated to escort visitors in and out of the apartment in between 30 second intervals, yet not even the largest amount of people condensed into such a small room could possibly override the overwhelming ly melancholy silence of the aveilim.
“I think it’s really, really horrible and I really can’t understand it,” said Brooklyn resident Seth Perry. “It boggles the mind; it literally shakes you up.”
Leiby was the only boy amongst his siblings. “The father himself said that the worse part of Leiby’s death is that now there’s no one to say Kaddish for him and the mother after they die,” said Brooklyn resident Michael Cohen.
Most unfortunate was the evident knowledge of the kind of tragedy it would actually take to bring Jews of all different backgrounds together, while our enemies continue to scrape and bite at any given opportunity to, once again, cast us as the scapegoats. “When a tragedy like this occurs, all questions about background fade away,” said a neighbor of the Kletzky family who wished to remain anonymous. “There were no questions asked, everyone came together.”
Not much can be said regarding recovery from losing such a special member of the Jewish community. “In terms of us recovering as a community, it’s really about faith and a master plan in the world,” said New Jersey resident Sarah Schwadron. “We have to hold on to our Jewish system of beliefs in how sacred every life is.”
Thoughts of consolation permeated the packed shiva home. “They’re actually accepting it, that G-d gave them a present that they have the child for nine years,” said Yaakov German, father of Leiby’s cheder rebbe, Rabbi Avraham German.
Several of the people who went to be makom yenachem to the Kletzky family entered with multiple questions and exited almost speechless. “Just being in that atmosphere makes every problem seem like a walk on the beach,” said Lawrence resident Daniel Landesman. “It changes your life.”
Among those in attendance were Assemblyman Dov Hikind, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. “People are still consumed with the tragedy. It is still on everyone’s mind and will be for a very long time,” Hikind said. “Most people who don’t know the family feel the sudden need to express themselves. It’s absolutely amazing.”
A huge concern circulating through the crowds was determining the next step of action. What can we do to prevent such a catastrophe from ever repeating itself, even in a place as safe as Borough Park? One suggestion dealt with a media response. “It’s sheltering the kids from television that can leave negative effects on their safety and their perceptions of reality,” Perry said. There was a consensus that the most dangerous assumption is the absence of danger. Young people need to be given ongoing lessons in safety and reality while at the same time not changing the normal peacefulness of childhood and the community.
Another approach dealt with the neighborhood security. “I think every parent has to make a decision on their own on what to do and what not to do,” Hikind said. “I thought about encouraging people to put in surveillance cameras around the neighborhood.” Although Leiby’s period of shiva left some questioning faith in Hashem, it ultimately served as a period of reevaluation of one’s physical surroundings and a time recommitment to one’s personal spiritual environment.
HAMAKOM YENACHEM ETCHEM BETOCH SHAAR AAVLEI TZION V’YERUSHALAYIM!
