Community Memorial Service for Itamar Victims
Dear Beth El Congregants & Friends,
Please join this community wide memorial service on Tuesday evening at 7pm. This was a sad and tragic event and the whole Jewish community is coming together to remember the Fogel family and this tragic terrorist event. We really hope to see you all tomorrow night.
TUESDAY, 22 MARCH @ 7:00 PM, SANCTUARY, CONGREGATION AGUDAS ACHIM
7300 Hart Lane on the Dell Jewish Community Campus Austin, Texas 78731.
COMMUNITY WIDE MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR ITAMAR VICTIMS ‹ REMEMBERING THE FOGEL FAMILY
Last week five Jewish family members were massacred while they were sleeping in their home on the Sabbath. Through reflective prayer, silence and song, we will remember Udi Fogel (36); Ruth Fogel (35) and their children Yoav (11), Elad (4) and three-month-old Hadas.
Our Austin community stands united to speak out against these brutal
murders.
People of all faiths and backgrounds are encouraged to be present.
CO-SPONSORS
Congregation Agudas Achim
Jewish Community Association of Austin
Congregation Shir Ami
Austin Jewish Academy
Congregation Kol Halev
Jewish Studies Club at St. Edward’s University
Tiferet Israel
Temple Beth Shalom
Texas Faith Network
Congregation Beth El
(in formation)
___________________
Neil F. Blumofe, Rabbi
This Shabbat is Shabbat Zachor, the Shabbat before Purim. The special maftir is from the Book of Deuteronomy, and commands us to remember what ‘Amalek did to us on our way out of Egypt, attacking the defenseless, showing a complete lack of basic morality. Unfortunately, last Shabbat we were given a reminder that the spirit of ‘Amalek is still with us. The horrible atrocity in Itamar was nothing less than the spirit of hatred and senseless violence that typified ‘Amalek. Our hearts go out to the orphans and the other members of the Fogel family. Let us not, however, let the spirit of ‘Amalek infect our souls with hatred. Our maftir also commands us to blot out ‘Amalek-not only physically, as was done thousands of years ago, but spiritually. Hatred and vengeance will not bring back the precious souls that we lost. The Sages taught us that the only remedy for causeless hatred is causeless love. Let us be inspired by the Israeli grocer who committed to supplying the survivors of the Fogel family with food until the children are grown. Let us blot out ‘Amalek with lovingkindness.
Shabbat & 
