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

