LOCAL TEMPLE HOLDING FUNDRAISER FOR CONNECTICUT VICTIM: Stoughton's Ahavath Torah Congregation is holding a fundraiser for the family of 6-year-old Noah Pozner, who was a victim of the Newtown, CT school shooting that took the lives of 20 young children and six teachers and administrators.
Noah had a twin sister and an 8-year-old sister, both of whom survived the Dec. 14 tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, the Boston Herald reports.
Ahavath Torah Congregation President David Schulze tells About Town, "There are no real deep formal plans. We just decided today that we needed to do something and it was clear to me that we need to stand with our Jewish community here and everywhere. I talked with Board Member Jon Bloom and Vice President Alan Lader and it was decided that we would do an impromptu and informal fundraiser for the Pozner family in memory of their 6-year-old boy Noah who was buried Monday."
Schulze says, "We will be collecting donations at ATC and I plan to drive down to CT next week or shortly thereafter and present a donation check to their temple president. I will be making a short speech at services this Friday night at ATC and we will go from there. This will be very simple and very informal. It is just a way for our Jewish community to support another Jewish community in New England."
The public is invited to stop in the Temple and make a donation, as well. Ahavath Torah Congregation is located at 1179 Central Street in Stoughton.
Schulze told About Town that all funds raised will go to the newly-created Noah's Ark Fund, which will help the entire Newtown community with grief counseling, and a tree planting campaign in Israel in the names of all the victims. This will be managed in conjunction with the Ahavath Torah religious school.
Noah was a member of Congregation Adath Israel in Newtown, CT. He is remembered as a bright, inquisitive and mature 6-year-old, according to the Herald.
Rabbi Shaul Praver of Congregation Adath Israel told mourners Monday, "We live in a culture of violence.”
Praver said he told his congregants, “All of our culture is based on violence and we need to teach the kids about the ways of peace. We need to change everything. He added, in Hebrew, “There’s too much war, too much violence in our streets.”
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