Kol Ha Bayit (BST Blog)

What does it say about a Jewish community that comes together to do a mitzvah for someone they don’t know, a person who does not have a relationship with our congregation?

 
On February 9,  Sarita London was  laid to rest at Oak Hill cemetery.  She was a Jewish woman living in Fredericksburg with no family in the area.  She was not a member of BST and personally unknown to us.  When her family asked for help, the Beth Sholom Temple community was there.

Rabbi Ronda Wanderman Young worked with the family to plan and lead a graveside service, coordinating with Covenant Funeral Home and Oak Hill Cemetery.    She sent out the word that we as a congregation had a chance to fulfill another mitzvah by providing a minyan – the requisite number of Jewish adults -- at the service.

Close to thirty members of our congregation took time off from work and other obligations to perform the mitzvah of burying the dead and enabled recitation of those prayers that require at least 10 adults.  
What does this say about us?  To me, it says that despite our strained connections in the midst of a pandemic it shows we have not forgotten our part of the covenant and that we know “the privilege of righteous deeds” as it says in our prayer book.    Thanks to Ronda and to all who participated in laying Ms. London to rest.

"You turned up for a stranger and made me feel like family.  Because of you I was able to say Kaddish.  Please accept my [...] appreciation of your kindness, and for the comfort, support, and beautiful service of Rabbi Ronda.  On behalf of Sarita's relatives who live so far away, and her friends, we are so grateful."

-The family of Ms. London