New Brunswick, NJ – Over 100 students from Rutgers University gathered in solemn tribute at a candlelight vigil held last night on the front steps of Chabad House. The event was organized to honor the life of Rabbi Tzvi Kogan, the beloved Chabad rabbi from Dubai who was tragically abducted and murdered by Islamic terrorists in the UAE last week. Despite the onset of Thanksgiving Break, when many students had already left campus, members of the Rutgers community came together across all five campuses to share in this moment of grief and remembrance.
The vigil was organized to give the Jewish community at Rutgers an opportunity to mourn and process the impact of this brutal act of antisemitism and hatred, which struck at the heart of their values. The gathering reflected a central teaching from Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Sages): to increase Torah learning, prayer, and acts of kindness in response to hardship, in order to bring blessings, safety, and security to the world.
“Tonight, as we gather here on College Avenue, we must remember that even in the deepest darkness, there is always light, and that light is within each and every one of us,” Rabbi Goodman said. “Rabbi Tzvi’s murder is a tragedy for every Jew, for every human being who believes in peace and kindness. We must respond and spread light, warmth, and love. His life was a beacon of warmth, love, and peace. We now must be the ones who carry his light forward.”
