Dear Friends,

It is with profound and deep sadness that I write this email.

This week Nora Gorenstein, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Western MA, and her family suffered a terrible loss.  Nora’s younger sister, Hannah Rae Levy, died on Monday night. The funeral will be held in Maryland on Friday at 11:00 AM at Garden of Remembrance, 14321 Comus Rd, Clarksburg, MD. Shiva arrangements are pending. 

Hannah’s death was completely unexpected.  The family is in shock as they make funeral arrangements and prepare for this unimaginable.  At the moment Nora is uncertain when she will return home to Western Massachusetts.   I know that all of us will want to lend Nora the love, support and comfort that she and her family will need.  Information regarding how and where Nora decides to sit shiva, will be shared with the community.  

Most of the time when I learn of a death I say Baruch Dayan HaEmet — God is the True Judge.  In saying this blessing, I am accepting that God’s ways are good and right and while I do not understand everything, I accept that which I cannot change.   In a moment like this I cannot say “God is the True Judge". Instead, I turn to the writing of the late Rabbi Harold Kushner:  “God does not cause our misfortunes.  Some are caused by bad luck, some are caused by bad people, and some are simply an inevitable consequence of our being human and being mortal, living in a world of inflexible natural laws.”  

In this moment of profound loss and tragedy, I imagine that God is weeping with Hannah’s family and it will be upon us to hold Nora and her family as best as we are able - as we strive to do for our community members near and far.  


Rabbi Amy S Wallk
Temple Beth El on behalf of the Jewish Federation of Western Mass.
Springfield, MA