Triumph of Love

Mohammed Merah, the Muslim murderer, was cornered and killed yesterday in France. He had shocked France and the world with his ruthless killings at a Jewish school. Among the dead were Rabbi Jonathan Sandler, and his sons Gavriel and Aryah.

This remarkable open letter was recently released by the wife and mother of these innocent victims.

People often talk about how religious conservatives are divisive, sparking passions that threaten to burst into open conflicts. Mrs. Sandler’s letter suggests otherwise. Faced with the horrible darkness of death—and not just death but vicious, violent murder—her message to us is that of Moses: Choose life!

We need policemen, and I’m grateful that Merah was tracked down. But Mrs Sandler’s letter strikes a remarkable blow—the most powerful imaginable blow—against the substance and spirit of Mohammed Merah’s deeds.