JERUSALEM — Toronto-born Howie Rothman still lies in an induced coma fighting for his life seven weeks after being attacked by Palestinian terrorists while praying in a synagogue in the Har Nof neighbourhood of Jerusalem.
The brutality of the attack and the father of ten’s struggle to survive have prompted an outpouring of support: On Monday, the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, facilitated by the Jewish Agency for Israel, presented Mr. Rothman’s family with a check for $108,000, the proceeds of a humanitarian campaign. The presentation was made in Jerusalem by the agency’s chairman Natan Sharansky, to Mr. Rothman’s wife, Risa, and brother Steven.
“We don’t typically raise funds for individuals or families. We raise funds for the Jewish community-at-large; and for programs and initiatives in Israel, and other parts of the world,” Steven Shulman, campaign director for the United Jewish Appeal of Greater Toronto told The Media Line. “But Howie Rothman is a product of [our] community having attended the Tannenbaum Hebrew Academy of Toronto and York University.”
Mr. Shulman explained that in addition to the fact that Mr. Rothman was the main breadwinner for his large family, the attack had great symbolism and resonated with communities world-wide. “Here were Jews praying in a synagogue — the most basic Jewish act — and they were attacked for no reason other than that they were Jews.” First responders said that the terrorists were particularly savage in their actions, seeking to stab and dismember the bodies.
Four worshippers and an off-duty Druze policeman died in the attack and seven, including Mr. Rothman, were wounded.
Steven Rothman said the outpouring from non-Jews in many countries has been noteworthy, many expressing outrage and offering prayers. The fund, which began several days after the attack, continues to be promoted through a hotline and online at helprothman.com.
Toronto attorney Ian Sutherland heard about Mr. Rothman’s situation through a cousin of the victim. He said he was “horrified” and “felt it was the right thing to do” to support the family.
Jody Kaufman Davis, an insurance wholesaler who serves on the board of the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and who contributed to the fund said, “I believe at times of need we support our community, but we also support our fellow Jews around the world.”
Related
Mr. Rothman remains in the Department of Neurosurgery at Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem where his wife, Risa Rothman, visits him daily. “My husband came to the hospital without a pulse and it only sunk in a week later,” she told The Media Line. Ms. Rothman says she looks for signs: “We feel and hope things we are seeing are true responses. Last week we saw a lot of response to pain. This week we are hoping we are seeing responses to commands like, ‘Open your eye; or Move your foot!’”
In Jerusalem, the tightly-knit Har Nof community has come together in support of each other. Like many others in the neighborhood, Ms. Rothman knows the families of the four slain rabbis well.
“There is nobody like the Jewish people. They galvanized to help each other and to care about each other, to build each other up, to bond, and to send financial and emotional support. This rocked the whole Jewish world,” she said.
The Media Line
Source:: National Post
