Many of the women sang, too, though they stood off to the side, a separation common in conservative branches of Judaism. A father gently wiped tears from his teenage son's cheeks, consoling him softly as the congregation prayed. At one point, the service was stopped to thank a member of the FBI who had helped the Chevrah Kadisha, the Jewish organization that helps prepare bodies for burial. Afterward, the congregation broke into Al Hanisim, a Hanukkah song that commemorates Jews' perseverance in the face of violent oppression. Though not normally a part of Shabbat services, no one had to ask why the song was appropriate to sing on this night.

Source: CNN November 02, 2018 23:52 UTC