COLLEYVILLE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – The founder of Congregation Beth Israel Anna Eisen says this weekend will be an emotional homecoming not only for Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker and other leaders here, but for all members. “This is our house of God and we’re grateful that everyone survived and is doing great. This is our homecoming.”
They’re welcoming people back for Shabbat, or Sabbath, services Friday evening and Saturday morning for the first time since gunman Malik Akram, of England, held the Rabbi, and members Jeffrey Cohen, Lawrence Schwartz, and another member hostage for hours before he was shot and killed by the FBI.
The hostages all escaped unharmed physically.
Cohen said returning to the synagogue is helping him heal emotionally. “I’m so excited to be coming back and to be coming in here.”
The synagogue’s President, Michael Finfer said not long before the hostage situation, they gave people the option to pray in-person again after they moved online because of COVID-19. “It was a warmth that was here and this event again, January 15th took that away from us.”
There’s new paint and carpeting in the sanctuary, much of it donated by area businesses, and one of the stained-glass windows had to be repaired after being shattered by bullets.
The Rabbi said, “Each piece of that puzzle was a little bit of healing, each piece of that puzzle was a little bit of reassurance.”
Everywhere you look around the synagogue are messages of love and support.
They came from all over North Texas and around the state, but also the United States.
The congregations also received postcards from as far away as Japan.
Eisen said, “You feel very alone and it’s a very terrifying and upsetting thing. It made all the difference that people I didn’t know in my community were praying for us.”
Finfer became overwhelmed with emotion when he looked at one message displayed in a hallway between classrooms. “It’s so important that this kind of love, without any ask, we did not ask to do this. The community stepped up and helped us with things without being asked.”
The prayers are so welcome, they said, because they come amid a rise in antisemitic acts in North Texas and across the country.
Rabbi Cytron-Walker said, “It’s my hope and my prayer there’s greater awareness about how damaging hate can be.”