Eulogy for Noah Pozner

At our Shabbat services, we joined together with individuals and groups across the nation and throughout the world in mourning the victims of the shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, and praying for their families. And in a previous post, A Response to Tragedy, we joined with Jews across the nation in calling for comprehensive reforms to end gun violence and ensure mental health care to all who need it. There is so much more that could and should be said about this terrible event, and yet so very difficult to put it into words.

However difficult it may be for us to speak to this subject, how much more so for the parents of the children lost to this act of senseless violence? And yet, we find tragedy confronted courageously with words of extraordinary eloquence. Such is the case for the eulogy delivered by the mother of Noah Pozner, which our own Rabbi Schwartz has made reference to on more than one occasion. According to the Associated Press, reporters were not allowed into the Jewish funeral service, but the family made a transcript available for distribution of the eulogies delivered by Noah Pozner's mother, Veronique, and his uncle, and they both can be read online at a variety of sites, including ABC News. And we feel it is important for many reasons to share Veronique Pozner's eulogy here on our congregational blog:

The sky is crying, and the flags are at half-mast. It is a sad, sad day. But it is also your day, Noah, my little man. I will miss your forceful and purposeful little steps stomping through our house. I will miss your perpetual smile, the twinkle in your dark blue eyes, framed by eyelashes that would be the envy of any lady in this room.

Most of all, I will miss your visions of your future. You wanted to be a doctor, a soldier, a taco factory manager. It was your favorite food, and no doubt you wanted to ensure that the world kept producing tacos.

You were a little boy whose life force had all the gravitational pull of a celestial body. You were light and love, mischief and pranks. You adored your family with every fiber of your 6-year-old being. We are all of us elevated in our humanity by having known you. A little maverick, who didn't always want to do his schoolwork or clean up his toys, when practicing his ninja moves or Super Mario on the Wii seemed far more important.

Noah, you will not pass through this way again. I can only believe that you were planted on Earth to bloom in heaven. Take flight, my boy. Soar. You now have the wings you always wanted. Go to that peaceful valley that we will all one day come to know. I will join you someday. Not today. I still have lots of mommy love to give to Danielle, Michael, Sophia and Arielle.

Until then, your melody will linger in our hearts forever. Momma loves you, little man.

Truly heart-rending words.  And we can only join together in saying Kaddish for the victims, and praying for healing for their families.