EAST LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – The Spartan community comforted each other this week through hugs, prayer and vigils that included many religious leaders.
One East Lansing rabbi who was near campus when the shots rang out says providing comfort across beliefs is a way to give back to the community.
Baking sheets are left stacked on the tables around the Chabad Jewish Center at MSU.
Rabbi Bentzion Shemtov says the night before had been filled with compassion and culinary community as more than 20 students helped bake 50 loaves of challah bread.
“One of the students actually mentioned it was pretty therapeutic kneading the dough. And then they wrote letters to first responders, to the families in the hospitals and then they delivered this fresh challah,” said Shemtov.
The “loaves of love,” as they were called was one way, Shemtov says the center was giving back to the campus community that sits just a block away. Shemtov has been a listening ear for students from all walks of life, especially since Monday night. He says a class at the center had just finished when his wife heard the sirens.
“And both of our phones were non-stop with messages and calls and emails from current students,” he said.
As students checked in with him, he says he went to Sparrow Hospital to comfort the friends of injured students. One of them was waiting for updates to send back to the family of one of his friends an international student who was hurt in the shooting.
“He’s just a 19-year-old student standing there trying to hold down the fort both for his friends in the hospital and the family back home,” said Shemtov.
Shemtov says he headed to campus Monday night to help comfort students as they emerged from sheltering in place.
Ever since then, his doors have been open to the Spartan community.
“In a time of darkness, all we can do is add that one candle of light.”
