H eadlines
In Surfside: Processing Communal Grief
into his hat.

“This card
became something
that everybody
SHIRA HANAU | JTA.ORG
wanted,” said the rabbi,
IF THERE’S ONE THING speaking from his office in the
Rabbi Sholom Lipskar wants to Chabad synagogue he runs just
remember from the aftermath a few blocks away from what
of the Surfside condo collapse was once Champlain Towers
in June, it’s the small cards South.

For Lipskar, the cards epito-
that he distributed to the first
mize his efforts, sometimes
responders and search-and-
onerous, to keep sight of the
rescue teams working at the site.

positivity that came out of the
Inscribed with Psalm 23, a
Surfside collapse,
in which 97
psalm often recited in times
people were
killed. of trouble that begins with
the words “The Lord is my
“Sometimes from tragedy,
shepherd, I shall not want,” the from darkness, you can bring
cards were meant to protect out a sense of humanness and
and inspire those charged with decency,” he said. “The nations
Rabbi Sholom Lipskar listens as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference at the Shul of
extracting survivors and, later, of the world, their objective is
Bal Harbour on June 14 in Surfside, Florida.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images via JTA.org
recovering bodies.

to create a civilization, a moral,
Lipskar estimated that he ethical civilization. It’s the objec-
gave out as many as 800 of the tive of the Jew to infuse that
The cards also reflect the to share a message advanced and Schneerson hoped that
cards and recalled meeting a civilization with holiness, with significant role that Lipskar by Rabbi Menachem Mendel a successful synagogue there
firefighter who kept his tucked divinity, with purpose, meaning.” and his synagogue, The Shul, Schneerson, the leader of the could pave the way for others
played in the community both Chabad movement who died in similar locations.

before and after the collapse. in 1994.

“I was not excited about it,”
Days before the collapse, the
“The Rebbe said no, you Chani Lipskar, Lipskar’s wife,
synagogue hosted Florida Gov. don’t talk about the past as told Chabad.org about the
Ron DeSantis as he signed negative,” Lipskar said.

move. “The thought of leaving
two bills that Lipskar and his
“There’s a Rosh Hashanah everything we knew behind
community had backed. In the prayer that you begin the prayer and moving to this place that
moments and days after the with, you know, ‘Goodbye to is so not welcoming to Jewish
building fell, the synagogue the past year that was filled people was not something that I
emerged as a hub for first with difficulty and challenges, was looking forward to. But we
responders and families of the and hello to the new year, that wrote to the rebbe and the rebbe
missing while they waited for it should be with blessing,’” wrote back, ‘nachon hadavar,’
news about their loved ones.

he added. “We say thank you it’s the right thing to do.”
And in the weeks that Hashem [God] for allowing us
Putting up the town’s first
followed, as the community to live through that challenge public menorah for Chanukah
continued to process its grief and for giving us the strength — a hallmark of Chabad
while the rest of the country to be where we are today so we outreach in any community —
Retirement Community
moved on, Lipskar worked to can face the next year.”
was an ordeal, Lipskar recalled.

• Spacious Studio, 1, and
• 3 Meals Per Day
come up with High Holiday
For Lipskar, the challenge
“They made me give them
2 Bedroom Apartments
• Memory Care Unit
sermons that would help them began in 1982 when Schneerson drawings for the menorah that
• 24 Hour Security
• Beautiful Gardens and
wrest meaning from the disaster tasked him with starting a had to be hurricane-proof,”
• Engaging Activities/Events
Courtyards • Wellness Center
• Private Parking
— without trying to offer a community in Bal Harbour. At Lipskar said, even though he
theological explanation for it.

the time, the wealthy beachside was only planning to display
Ask How to Qualify for Our
“If anybody gives me a resort town was known for being the menorah on a seasonal
reason except for God Almighty inhospitable to Jews. Housing basis and hurricane season
Fall Initiative
himself, they’re idiots. They’re deeds in the town specifically ended before the holiday began.

making up stories. They have barred homes from being sold to
Forty years later, a visitor
215-624-7575 no idea,” he said. “There’s no Jews, and prior to a discrimina- to Surfside and Bal Harbour
www.deer-meadows.org question [that] only He can tion lawsuit brought in 1982, the might find it hard to believe
give me the answer. But I’m not Bal Harbour Club did not allow that the area once had no public
going to continue to base my Jews or Black people to join.

menorah — or was unable to
8301 Roosevelt Blvd,
life on a question.”
But the town was a magnet support a single kosher deli.

Philadelphia, PA 19152
Instead, Lipskar planned to for wealthy and influential
Today, vacationing
use his Rosh Hashanah sermon people from around the world, Orthodox Jews from across the
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