Community coping

Within a span of about 24 hours at the start of this week, news of tragedies near home and abroad rocked Riverdale. 

In the first case, a native son of the neighborhood tragically died early Monday in what appears to be a case of excessive alcohol consumption at a college party in Albany. 

Several time zones away on Tuesday morning, Palestinian terrorists killed five people at a Jerusalem synagogue, including a rabbi who was the brother-in-law of a religious leader at the Riverdale Jewish Center (RJC).

First and foremost, our hearts go out to the families of the victims of these horrific events. We hope they will find the strength to endure their grief over the coming days, months and years.

Different as the incidents that claimed the lives of student Trevor Duffy and Rabbi Moshe Twersky were, they provide reminders that contemporary life is full of instability and danger — and that community provides one of the most fundamental ways to cope with our woes.

Rabbi Twersky’s murder shows how places of worship — which local leaders have emphasized should be places of refuge —  can be targeted by proponents of hate. Mr. Duffy’s early demise realizes parents’ worst fears when they send their children off to college.

While the authorities seek justice for the rabbi’s death and some explanation for that of the student, it seems like we have less and less control over our safety.

Still, Riverdalians’ intial responses to these tragedies illustrate some grounds for solace in our tempestuous times.

Once the community learned of Rabbi Twersky’s death, RJC organized a vigil for the member of their extended spiritual family — his sister is married to local Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt.

The message seems loud and clear: answer hate with love and solidarity.

As news of Mr. Duffy’s death spread, friends provided simple acts of kindness for the grieving family, whether in the form of a home visit, a meal or other expression of support.

Once again, the tight-knit community showed its true colors.

In many ways, the aftermath of Mr. Duffy and Rabbi Twersky’s deaths is just beginning. The community needs to know more about how they died as we demand ways to prevent college tragedies and to fight anti-Semitic violence.

For now, it seems well to call a friend in need, think of volunteering some time to a worthy cause, hug one’s loved ones a little more tightly — in other words, perform the kinds of acts that make Riverdale and our families strong in the face of uncertainty and hate.