Each person was a light in darkness

Each of us must continue to take a stand every day.

I was touched beyond words at the response to our call for a vigil following the massacre in Pittsburgh.

In under 24 hours, people united across cultural and religious lines to come together to make a stand against hatred and bigotry.

As Jews, feeling historically abandoned by much of the non-Jewish community in Europe is still in our collective memory. The outpouring of love and support from our allies was thus even more powerful; people coming forward to grieve and stand with us was a firm contradiction to that painful past. The beauty of all our faces and voices lit by flickering flames was palpable as person after person spoke from their hearts to say never again, not here.

We have much work ahead of us as whatever our identity is: as Vashonites, as Americans and as citizens of this planet. Our country is on a dangerous path, and each of us must continue to take a stand every day to fight against racism, anti-Semitism, LGBTQ oppression and bigotry of all flavors. We must all be allies to each other and unite in solidarity. Times are dark, but last Sunday, each person added a flicker of light to the darkness. The light will prevail.

— Suzanne Greenberg, President, Havurat Ee Shalom