The following is a note sent to my sister. She recently led a Birthright Israel trip with a number of young adult Americans on it.
I wanted to drop you a little note because I haven't been able to get the story you told at the cemetery out of my head. I remember when the Hebrew U bombing happened; I had been working at the Post for about a month at the time. I looked at the coverage, noted that x number of Americans were killed, had a fleeting thought that it was sad, and went on with my day.
And now, four years later, my life has intersected with someones who was deeply affected by it. When I got back to work last week, I went back and looked at the summary of that day's edition and it said "Campus Carnage 4-pages." I was struck by the fact that this awful tragedy, that you are still reeling from years later, was reduced to clever alliteration and a 4-page spread. And, just like every other idealistic 20-something, I really want to be doing something that will benefit people rather than exploit and distress those who have just lost loved ones. I think everyone working in the media, and everyone who ever watches the news or reads a newspaper, has to maintain a certain level of detachment from all the terrible things that are constantly around us. But, (cheesy as it may be) the next time I see a story coming out of Israel, I am certain I will really stop and grieve for Ben who wouldn't spin on Shabbat and Marla who should have married Michael and everyone who has lost or been lost in this struggle. So, I really want to thank you for sharing your story because it has really touched me and I know it can't be easy to talk about.
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