Dear Mother Emanuel, A Letter of Condolence
Dear Mother Emanuel June 19, 2015 ~ 3 Tamuz 5775 Rabbi Jen Gubitz Temple Shir Tikva, Wayland, MA A letter of condolence to Mother Emanuel, the name by which Charleston’s Emanual African Methodist Episcopal Church is lovingly referred: Dear Mother Emanual, we are so profoundly saddened for your loss. We are so profoundly saddened for your loss es . For thousands of years, in Jewish tradition, upon hearing of a death, we recite these words - Baruch Da’ayan Ha’emet, Blessed is the True Judge. And we tear Kriyah - we tear, rip, rend our clothing to expose our hearts. We expose our hearts breaking for you and, dare I say, with you. Baruch Dayan Ha’Emet, Blessed is the True Judge. Our hearts break for and with you, dear Mother Emanuel. But why, and how could we bless God when our hearts break, why and how could we bless God when another’s heart has ceased beating? We bless God because dear Mother Emanuel - Emanuel OR Im Anu El. You have known this truth, Mother Emanue