Nationwide candle-lighting memorial on campus

April 19, 2007

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A special candle-lighting event and prayer vigil will be held at 7:40 p.m. April 20 at the Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish Student Center at the University of Florida. The event is part of an effort by Jewish women on college campuses across the U.S. to dispel the darkness of the Virginia Tech tragedy with the shining light of Shabbat candles.

A special candle-lighting event and prayer vigil will be held at the Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish Student Center at the University of Florida at 7:40pm on Friday, said Rabbi Berl Goldman, Executive Director of Lubavitch-Chabad of at UF.

“We want to hold a memorial for all those killed in this terrible event and show our concern for our brothers and sisters at Virginia Tech,” said Rabbi Berl Goldman, executive director of the Chabad-Lubavitch center. “There is a universal feeling of despair as these innocent young lives were cut short, but we can share the light of hope and kindle a shining Shabbat flame.”

The widow of slain Virginia Tech professor Liviu Librescu is encouraging Jewish women to light Shabbat candles in her husband’s memory. Marlene Librescu told Rabbi Shlomo Mayer from Chabad at the University of Virginia: “My husband loved this mitzvah commandment, and he would remind me when the sun was going down on Friday and that it was time to light.”

The candle-lighting memorial marks the start of a weeklong effort by Chabad to encourage people to perform acts of goodness and kindness. Through generations, in good times and bad, the Shabbat candle has symbolized peace and harmony. As students kindle the lights together, they will rejoice in the goodness of man and unite to bring a more positive spirit into the world. The traditional candle-lighting time is 18 minutes before sundown.

Chabad’s FridayLight project is distributing thousands of Shabbat candle kits to those wishing to join in the April 20 event. Rabbi Goldman encourages interested participants to stop by the Chabad-Lubavitch Student Center or visit www.JewishGator.com for a free kit. This intercollegiate effort is sponsored by the Chabad on Campus International Foundation, FridayLight, and the Chabad Student Center at the University of Florida (www.JewishGator.com).

“Everyone is invited to join us in this universal gesture so that we respond to this tragedy in a positive way,” Goldman said. “As we remember those who lost their lives, let’s strive to replace violence with peace, sadness with hope, and darkness with light.”

The event at UF is open to the public and is set to begin at 7:40 p.m. April 20 at the Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish Student Center, 2021 N.W. Fifth Ave.

For further information on the above event, or if you have any questions related to this project, please call Rabbi Goldman at 352-336-5877 or 352-256-3323.