On May 2, 2024, the members of Simcha BBYO #5619 had the opportunity to listen to Rae Goldfarb speak. Goldfarb was born in Poland during the Holocaust, and carried with her the burden of surviving whilst her family perished. Sitting in the multipurpose room at Congregation KTI, the small computer from which she joined us through, did her story little justice. As she told us about a world I had only envisioned in nightmares, I could do nothing but listen to her words and understand the depth of her trauma. Her words stabbed me like needles, forcing me to put myself in her shoes and connect with her on a deeper level. Learning about the Holocaust and World War 2 in school could never have prepared me for the tremendous pain and brutality that her emotional first-hand-account conveyed. As her story went on, she shared a phrase that stuck with me. “Practice decency, not hate”. Despite all that she went through in her life, including running from the Nazis and watching her brother die in front of her, she was still able to love. She still found beauty in the world around her, and gravitated towards positivity. I found this sentiment incredibly relevant to today's world, as Jews across the globe are being targeted in anti-Semitic hate. As human beings, we must put aside our differences and practice decency. 

As the night went on, I realized just how important it was for us to be there. Being able to sit there, and not just listen, but actually understand her story is a mitzvah. The Talmud teaches us that God created people to be complex beings, and able to be empathetic rather than have a surface level sympathy. When we exercise this empathy, we can take some of the other person’s pain away and make it our own, while bringing ourselves closer to God. That day, all of Simcha BBYO took part in one of the greatest Mitzvahs of all. We shared Rae’s burden, provided an outlet for her to connect with others and give us some of her pain and trauma.

In our own, individual lives, we can practice this Mitzvah, and many other Mitzvot, by simply being compassionate. Telling our friends and family that we support them, listening to what they have to say, and understanding the challenges in their lives are the first steps. 

I would like to thank Amanda Fogel, the advisor of Simcha BBYO, for making me aware of the Mitzvah that we had taken part in, and for making the event possible in the first place. 

 לחלוק את הנטל עם חברו