Jewish Children Across The Globe Pray, Send Wishes To L.A. Victims

The Chabad-Lubavitch summer camps around the globe sprung into immediate action upon learning of this week's shooting spree

LOS ANGELES — Thousands of Jewish children attending the world's largest network of Jewish summer camps are saying special prayers and increasing their acts of random good deeds on behalf of the victims of the LA shootings on Tuesday.

From coast to coast in the United States and throughout the world, wherever the camp season is still in session, children of all walks of life attending a local Camp Gan Israel, founded by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory 43 years ago, stepped up their spiritual activity in merit of their five year old peer still in critical condition at LA's Childrens Hospital. The children are also dedicating prayers and good deeds to the other shooting victims and all of their fellow children who attend the North Valley Jewish Community Center's summer camp.

Many of the children are also sending cards and toys to their peers at the camp. In Dayton, Ohio, for example, Rabbi Nochum Mangel was overwhelmed by the response of the Camp Gan Israel children. "Within 14 hours of announcing a toy drive for the camp children in LA who may have been traumatized and need to feel that they are part of a worldwide community," reports Rabbi Mangel, "every single child in our camp came back with at least one present, if not more, and many brought along their parents and wrote cards.

"The innate goodness in children is tremendously touching and inspiring," Mangel says.

The Chabad-Lubavitch movement runs hundreds of camps throughout the world for Jewish children of all ages and walks of life where they learn to love their heritage while enjoying all that nature and numerous fun-filled activities, crafts and sports have to offer. The camps are called Gan Israel (lit.: the Garden of Israel), for the founder of the chasidic movement, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, who took a special interest in children and for a time was actually a teacher of very small children.

A primary lesson taught to the children throughout these summer sessions is the immutable unity of the Jewish people and the need to act upon it.

In LA's Valley area Lubavitch emissaries Rabbis Joshua Gordon, Mordechai Einbinder, Aaron Abend and Moshe Gutnick are working closely with other community members to help people deal with their fears following the shooting spree.

Another Lubavitch community member, Rabbi Ami Markel, this week plans to resume the weekly philosophy class that he gives each Tuesday night at the North Valley Jewish Community Center.

Rabbi Einbinder points out that, in addition to all the measures of increased security that the community must take, "It is critical for us as a community to recognize — and not to take for granted — that there was a tremendous miracle that happened here. It is unspeakable to imagine what could have really happened, G‑d forbid, with the 70 bullets the gunman shot, plus the arsenal he had waiting.

"We must thank G‑d for His miracles on behalf of our brethren, while praying for the speedy and complete recovery of all the victims," Einbinder says.