Joseph Cohen
November 2018
I know that I’ve said this many times, already, but thank you to everyone who came out for the breakfast. In some sense, the tone of this year’s breakfast changed with the most violent act of Anti-Semitism having occurred the day before at the Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh. As a community, we are all in shock. Such an abhorrent act has no place in any house of worship or in our nation, frankly. This should be emphasized on Shabbat, in which we greet each other by saying Shabbat shalom literally meaning Sabbath peace.
May the memories of Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil Rosenthal, David Rosenthal, Bernice Simon, Sylvan Simon, Daniel Stein, Melvin Wax, and Irving Younger all be blessings. We continue to pray for their families, their friends, and the city of Pittsburgh. We are praying for the four Pittsburgh Police Officers who were injured responding to the attack, for the entire Pittsburgh Police Department and other first responders who responded immediately and without hesitation.
This is a time for Jews of all backgrounds to come together, united. As Jews in the NYPD, this Society is an opportunity to bring all of us together. After the attack this past Saturday, we sent an email out to the membership requesting people make an extra effort to attend the breakfast. I’m now echoing that same request for our events going forward. If able, please come out for the membership meeting on November 19th. If you’re unable to make the November meeting, please come to the menorah lighting at headquarters on December 3rd, to be followed by the December membership meeting.
This is the most important time again, for us, as Jews, to come together. I hope to see you soon.
Joseph Cohen
President