海角大神

Two days after being held hostage, Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker was in a pulpit on Monday doing what he is known for: bringing people together.

His message, in a service meant to help heal his Texas community, was one of bridging divides. He quoted Martin Luther King Jr. on the day Americans honor him, saying, 鈥淟ove is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.鈥�

As the world learns more about a man known to many as Rabbi Charlie, reports highlight his philosophy 鈥撀爋f love and respect for others, regardless of faith 鈥� and illuminate why he welcomed a stranger to share tea and join a small group gathered to pray. 聽

鈥淗e鈥檚 always worked to expand our world and to let other people see what Jews are like,鈥� Tia Sukenik, the congregation鈥檚 former religious school director, the Jewish newspaper The Forward, describing a visit with an imam and mosque members at the synagogue.

Yet while building bridges in his community, Rabbi Charlie, a well-regarded listener, was also defending them聽鈥� by participating in active shooter training, given antisemitic sentiments and synagogue threats in recent years.

Although heralded for his bravery in helping his congregants escape a visitor-turned-gunman, who was Muslim and appeared to have mental health issues, the rabbi would rather focus elsewhere.

From the platform of a Methodist church last night, he invoked empathy and compassion. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what enables us to see each other, in spite of all of our differences, 鈥� as human beings.鈥�