16 | MAY 6 • 2021
T
he Detroit Jewish community gath-
ered over Zoom Sunday night to
mourn the loss of 45 lives at Mount
Meron on Lag b’Omer, April 29. At least 150
were injured in the tragedy.
Representatives of the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit and clergy from many
streams of Judaism remembered the victims
and shared their collective grief with the peo-
ple of Israel through prayer and community.
Steven Ingber, COO of Federation, opened
the memorial. “While no one can make
sense of this tragedy,
” he said, “tonight as a
family, we remember the victims and share
our collective grief with the people of Israel,
Kol Yisrael. In good times and in bad we are
here for one another.
”
Rabbi Daniel Schwartz of Temple Shir
Shalom, head of the Michigan Board of
Rabbis, said, “Today, Detroit stands as one
community to join with our family and
friends on this Israeli national day of mourn-
ing. To mourn the loss of 45 lives, to pray for
a speedy and full recovery for those injured
and to thank the countless professionals and
volunteers who rushed to the scene at Mount
Meron to help.
”
Six Americans were among the dead,
including Nachman Doniel “Donny” Morris
of New Jersey, the 19-year-old nephew of
Rabbi Yechiel Morris of Young Israel of
Southfield.
JTA reports that Donny had flown to
Israel in September to study at Yeshivat
Shaalvim in central Israel, after the Israeli
government made special provisions to allow
yeshivah students to come despite travel
restrictions due to the pandemic.
“The Morris family are pillars of the
Bergenfield-Teaneck community,
” said a
neighbor in the New Jersey community. “I
have known [Donny] since he was 6. He was
a rising star as a student in the Jewish world.
He was a sweet boy.
”
Rabbi Yechiel Morris spoke at the Detroit
memorial. “This evening I join you, not as a
rabbi, but as someone who is in mourning,
”
he said. “I’ve never experienced such pro-
found pain in my life. But at the same time,
such profound warmth and love from this
Detroit community.
”
Rabbi Morris said one of the first emails
he received was from Steven Ingber from
Federation, expressing solidarity and support
in any way they could be helpful. His phone
has been constantly ringing with messages
and calls from people all across the commu-
nity, some from people he didn’t even know.
“One thing I’ve learned these past three
days is how incredible our Jewish communi-
ty is,
” Rabbi Morris said. “That we take care
of one another. We support each other. It’s
been extremely comforting for myself and
my brother and my sister-in-law and for my
parents and our extended family.
”
Rabbi Morris said just the hour prior to
the Detroit memorial his nephew was buried
on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, and he
was watching the funeral online along with
50,000 people from around the world. There
were 25,000 people attending in person.
Rabbi Morris explained why his nephew
went to Mount Meron. “He went because my
nephew and so many of the other 100,000-
plus people were there searching for spiritual
meaning. My nephew loved to pray. He loved
to study Torah. He loved to engage in acts
of kindness. When someone else in the class
was a little different, he was the one who
would befriend them.
“But there is one thing that I can leave you
with,
” Rabbi Morris said. “Maybe to try to
emulate my nephew Donny.
“
Any way that you can, connect to people
through acts of kindness. To study a little
Torah a few minutes every day. To go to tem-
ple, to go to synagogue, to pray in person,
virtually, that’s what my nephew lived for
and what the other 100,000 people who were
there were trying to experience as well.
”
Mount Meron is home to the grave of
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a disciple of Rabbi
Akiva. He authored the Zohar, the foun-
dational work of Jewish mystical thought
known as Kabbalah. With more than 100,000
people having traveled to the town, it was the
largest gathering in Israel since the beginning
of the COVID-19 pandemic. The crushing
of the crowd after the event appears to be the
worst civil disaster in Israel’s history.
Two Israelis spoke at the Detroit memorial:
Yiftah Leket, Detroit’s emissary from Israel,
and Ariella Rada of Chicago, representing
the consul general of Israel to the Midwest.
Diane Goldstein of Federation also spoke.
Representatives of local clergy partici-
pated as well: Rabbis Marla Hornsten of
Temple Israel and Steven Rubenstein of
Congregation Beth Ahm, and Cantors
Daniel Gross of Adat Shalom Synagogue,
David Propis of Congregation Shaarey Zedek
and Rachel Kalmowitz of Temple Beth El.
Contributing to this report were JN Associate Editor
David Sachs and JTA reporter Stewart Ain.
OUR COMMUNITY
JTA
Detroit Mourns
Mount Meron Tragedy
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER
Donny
Morris
“WE REMEMBER THE
VICTIMS AND SHARE
OUR COLLECTIVE
GRIEF WITH THE
PEOPLE OF ISRAEL,
KOL YISRAEL.”
— STEVEN INGBER, COO OF FEDERATION