Community-wide Memorial for Rabbi Mosheh Twersky at Maimonides Tonight 

It was with great sadness and anger that we learned of the murderous attack this morning by Islamic extremists who murdered four and injured another eight innocent people. All of those killed or injured were innocent Jewish people at peaceful prayer at a synagogue in Jerusalem. Though the terrorists claim to act in the name of God, these extremists operate without regard to any kind of human morality and --in the words of our Torah--“utterly without any fear of God.” 

As always, we were horrified by these murders and by the silence of so much of our world in the face of terrorism. This morning’s atrocity touched us and broke our hearts, as all such atrocities do. 

But it touched us even more deeply because one of those killed was Rabbi Mosheh Twersky (zt”l), who grew up as part of our community and was a dear friend to those who knew him and grew up with him. He was a respected Torah scholar and teacher from two of our most esteemed rabbinic families. He was the son of Rabbi and Professor Yitzhak Twersky (zt”l) and Dr. Atarah Twersky, and the grandson of our most beloved Rav, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (zt”l) founder of the Maimonides School in Brookline, Rosh Yeshiva at the RIETS rabbinical school at Yeshiva University, and a respected rabbinic authority and philosopher who influenced religious thought in the Jewish community and well beyond. 

Rabbi and Dr. Twersky were important leaders within our Orthodox community and beyond. Dr. Atarah Twersky served as Chair of the Education Committee of the Maimonides School and is a widely respected educator. Rabbi Dr. Yitzhak Twersky was the Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy at Harvard University and the Rav of the Talner Shul in Brookline. He was also a deeply respected Jewish educator whose advice was sought whenever communities and philanthropists tried to understand and improve Jewish education in America. They were both friends to our community and to me, and they gave their advice and wisdom to us in good times and bad. Their advice was always given with affection and caring, and in complete accord with the most important traditions of our people. 

Rabbi Mosheh Twersky was Dean of Torat Moshe Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He is survived by his wife Bashy and children Meshulam, Refoel, Rivka, Nechama and Avrohom, and by his sister Tzipporah Rosenblatt and his brother, Rabbi Mayer Twersky. 

Our community mourns and protests at the same time. We mourn the loss of these innocent people murdered in Jerusalem. We protest against the extremism that seems to be filling our world and we refuse to be silent in the face of murder and terrorism. 

I know you will join me in expressing condolences to the Twersky family and to all who know and care about them. May they find comfort among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. 

Memorial Tonight 

Following today's tragic events in Jerusalem, Maimonides School will be holding a community-wide memorial service for Rabbi Twersky tonight at 7:15 p.m. in the S. Joseph Solomont Synagogue on the Saval Campus at 34 Philbrick Road, Brookline. Rabbi Twersky graduated from Maimonides School in 1973.

Barry Shrage
President, CJP