This announcement responding to hate crimes initially passed me by, since it comes out of and is centered around Westborough. A reader alerted me to it this morning. Since we don’t have any synagogues in town, I’m sharing news on how you can befriend a synagogue next door.
[Note: Stay tuned on efforts by residents in our own town to combat hatred.]
Westborough Connects announced a “Community Friendship Circle”. It’s an effort to speak out against hate crimes and show support for the Jewish community following the tragic shooting in Pittsburgh:
Join the Community Friendship Circle: Please join your Westborough neighbors on Friday, Nov. 9, to greet worshipers as they enter for temple at Congregation B’nai Shalom located at 117 East Main Street, Westborough. Community members interested in participating should gather at 7:00PM in the parking lot of Hastings Elementary School right next door to the temple. We will greet each other, and then proceed over in unity to form a greeting circle. Community members of all faiths are invited to join the congregation for Shabbat worship. Community leaders will also offer some words during the service. Community members of all faiths are invited to join the congregation for Shabbat worship. The congregation also invites the community to join them for a dessert reception immediately after the service.
There was also a letter writing campaign, but that deadline is this evening – so, probably now too short notice for most of you:
Written Messages of Support: We invite you to write paper letters that offer thoughts of support, friendship and kindness for Westborough residents of the Jewish faith. Feel free to use your creativity. We ask that people complete these by Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 5 p.m. Drop-off boxes will be located at the Westborough Public Library or you may email Kelley Petralia at kelley_click@hotmail.com to arrange pick up of the letters
You can read the full announcement in here.
In looking up Westborough Connects, I found a 2017 Wicked Local story explaining:
the group is the first partner of the Natick-based initiative group, SPARK Kindness Networks.
SPARK, which stands for “Successful Positive Authentic Resilient Kids,” is a grassroots organization that strives to support the youth through community support and kindness.
