Rabbi Robert Scheinberg's page

My closing prayer at the Hoboken vigil on Wednesday evening June 15, in memory of those murdered in Orlando: I invite you to join me in praying to the Source of Life. Our various communities know you by many different names, but on this we agreed: we learned from You to treasure life. We learned from You that to take a life is like destroying the entire world, and to save a life is like saving the entire world. Dear God, Our heart breaks for 49 precious lives cut short because of who they were and who they loved. Where they gathered was supposed to be their safe space. In their memories, help us to make a safe world. Help us to make a safe world for our brothers and sisters who are gay and lesbian and bisexual and transgender, who so often are targets of hatred and oppression and violence, so many of whom feel unsafe even in the best of times, let alone today. Help us to make a safe world for our brothers and sisters in this country who yearn simply to live their lives, t

This is the note that I sent to the United Synagogue of Hoboken community following the Orlando murders. Dear friends, Our community, country and world are reeling after the tragic events in Orlando on Sunday morning.   Many of us are looking for a way to express our outrage at the murders in Orlando and to express solidarity with the families of those who were murdered, and with the LGBT community throughout the world that is disproportionately a target for hatred and violence.   We are all invited this evening (Wednesday June 15) at 7:15pm to participate in a vigil on the steps of Hoboken City Hall, with the participation of Mayor Zimmer, the Hoboken City Council, community clergy, and members of the LGBT community in our local area.    (See  http://patch.com/new-jersey/hoboken/hoboken-jersey-city-mourn-orlando-shooting-victims-vigil-set-tuesday-night )  I look forward to participating in this ceremony representing Hoboken's Jewish community. The following