Toulouse Mother’s Heartfelt Plea

By COLlive reporter

Delegates from the European Union attended a memorial service on Tuesday morning at the offices of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe (RCE) in Brussels.

The specially convened gathering paid tribute to the lives of the three children and a teacher who were gunned down in Toulouse, France, the day before.

Addressing the assembly, were Rabbi Gershon Mendel Garelik, Head Shliach of Italy and head of the RCE and Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet, Rabbi of the Mill Hill Synagogue in London, England.

“This can only be described was a blatant anti-Semitic attack, predicated on baseless hatred and a complete disregard for human life,” said Schochet. “They died for their faith – because they were Jews. That is something we thought we left behind, in 1945.”

Schochet called on those assembled, which included high ranking representatives, including the Vice President of the European Parliament and representatives from the President of the European Commission, to determine what they could do “to eradicate once and for all, radicalism and fundamentalism from Europe. Let theses deaths not be in vain. We owe it to them and their memory.”

And in heavily criticized attack on Cathy Ashton, Europe’s Foreign Policy Chief, who, in an address to Palestinian Youth paid tribute to children killed in “terrible circumstances” listing Syria, Gaza and Toulouse, Schochet added: “To equate the two is not just reprehensible – it reflects a complete lack of moral judgement.”

Ashton has since said her remarks had been “grossly exaggerated by the media.”

The event was also attended by the French Ambassador to the EU and other French, American and Israeli delegates from the European Parliament.

A MOTHER’S REQUEST

Another memorial was held this week in another city with a high French speaking population.

Students of the Yavne Yeshiva school in Montreal, Canada, took a break from learning and heard from their teachers about the tragedy and the heartfelt plea by Mrs. Chava (Eva) Sandler, mother and wife of the murdered.

The school, under the auspices of Rabbi David Refael Banon, is the only French speaking religious yeshiva in the city. Her statement, also published on Chabad.org, was read to them.

Here is her statement:

“My heart is broken. I am unable to speak. There are no ways for me to be able to express the great and all-consuming pain resulting from the murder of my dear husband Rabbi Jonathan and our sons, Aryeh and Gavriel, and of Miriam Monsonego, daughter of the dedicated principal of Ozar Hatorah and his wife, Rabbi Yaakov and Mrs. Monsonego.

May no one ever have to endure such pain and suffering.

Because so many of you, my cherished brothers and sisters in France and around the world, are asking what you can do on my behalf, on behalf of my daughter Liora and on behalf of the souls of my dear husband and children, I feel that, difficult though it may be, it is incumbent upon me to answer your entreaties.

My husband’s life was dedicated to teaching Torah. We moved back to the country of his birth to help young people learn about the beauty of Torah. He was truly a good man, loving, giving, and selfless. He was sensitive to all of G-d’s creatures, always searching for ways to reveal the goodness in others.

He and I raised Aryeh and Gavriel to live the ways of Torah. Who would have known how short would be their time on this Earth, how short would be the time I would be with them as their mother?

I don’t know how I and my husband’s parents and sister will find the consolation and strength to carry on, but I know that the ways of G-d are good, and He will reveal the path and give us the strength to continue. I know that their holy souls will remain with us forever, and I know that very soon the time will come when we will be together again with the coming of Moshiach.

I wholeheartedly believe in the words of the verse: “The L-ord has given, and the L-ord has taken away; blessed be the Name of the L-ord.” I thank the Almighty for the privilege, short though it was, of raising my children together with my husband. Now the Almighty wants them back with Him.

To all those who wish to bring consolation to our family and contentment to the souls of the departed: Let’s continue their lives on this Earth.

Parents, please kiss your children. Tell them how much you love them, and how dear it is to your heart that they be living examples of our Torah, imbued with the fear of Heaven and with love of their fellow man.

Please increase your study of Torah, whether on your own or with your family and friends. Help others who may find study difficult to achieve alone.

Please bring more light into the world by kindling the Sabbath candles this and every Friday night. (Please do so a bit earlier than the published times as a way to add holiness to our world.)

The holiday of Passover is approaching. Please invite another person into your homes so that all have a place at a Seder to celebrate the holiday of our freedom.

Along with our tearful remembrance of our trials in Egypt so many years ago, we still tell over how “in each and every generation, they have stood against us to destroy us.” We all will announce in a loud and clear voice: “G-d saves us from their hands.”

The spirit of the Jewish people can never be extinguished; its connection with Torah and its commandments can never be destroyed.

May it be G-d’s will that from this moment on, we will all only know happiness.

I send my heartfelt condolences to the Monsonego family for the loss of their daughter Miriam, and I pray for the speedy recovery of Aharon ben Leah, who was injured in the attack.

Thank you for your support and love.