Adar in Efrat

Last Thursday night, as I waited for my flight to Israel in the British Airways lounge, I heard (and saw) the horrible news unfold about the terrorist attack at Merkaz HaRav. From my cab ride into Jerusalem Friday morning until the time I left on Sunday night, I sensed a heaviness around me that I hadn't felt in many years. Even friends who are normally optimistic were very shaken.

For much of the weekend (even though I was there to celebrate a very joyous occasion in our family) I thought about the juxtaposition of the month of Adar with the unspeakable tragedy that had befallen eight families (and so many others who are connected). How can one celebrate Adar under such circumstances?

Then, two things happened that put this question into even more focus. First, I read this post from David Bogner about how one of the young men murdered in Merkaz HaRav was a family friend from Efrat. Then, late on motsai Shabbos, I met Chaim Dovid for tea and he told me that he, Aron Razel and Shlomo Katz were scheduled to give a concert (one of a series of concerts that they are doing around K'shoshanah, the CD I recently produced) in Efrat next motsai Shabbos.

Efrat, at the end of the day, is a small town. No doubt that the murder of this young man has cast a terrible pall over everyone in town. So how do you have an Adar concert ten days later? Do you have a concert?

Waiting for my flight home on Sunday in the El Al lounge, I took comfort from this post from Jameel. Money quote:

No one ignores the pain of the terror, no one forgets the mourning.

But we can't forget the message of Adar. We survived our enemies back then on Purim and we will continue to survive and flourish, today, and in the future.

A Joyous Month of Adar to all of Israel.

Indeed, a joyous month of Adar to all.