Rabbi Mark Greenspan

“One day, a rabbi watched the winds blow, the trees tremble and the electricity go out. His congregants began to call and text and Facebook, and with every message he felt his heart grow heavier, for his community had not gone unscathed. But this rabbi refused to wallow in pain or pity. He opened the doors to his home, offering coffee, comfort and conversation. He organized warm meals and clothing collections. He contacted relief organizations and arranged for help on his congregants’ behalf. He did whatever he could to ease his community’s suffering. It’s been months since Hurricane Sandy, and things are still far from normal in the life of my community, but we always knew we weren’t alone. Rabbi Greenspan made sure of that, and this has made the rebuilding so much easier.”

—ALYSSA BLUMENTHAL