J.F.K. Alav Hashalom (Vol. 29, Issue 5)

Death has stilled an impassioned voice struggling to be heard amidst a divided world and a divided nation. Death—sudden and violent—has snatched away a statesman who fought for peace, justice, and liberty. Death cut off a President from his nation, a husband from his wife, a father from his children. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, thirty-fifth President of the United States, is dead.

The tragic and poignant scenes of President Kennedy’s funeral will never be forgotten. Nor will we forget that in this tragedy his dream of unity came true. Diverse figures were united. Diplomats from over one hundred countries—friends and foes—gathered to pay their final tribute to this courageous man. Never before have so many disregarded their differences and banded together. So, too, a divided nation dismissed its biases and prejudices. Christians and Jews, Negroes and whites, Democrats and Republicans, Liberals and Conservatives, —all gathered to pay homage to this man who fought for peace. 

Though death is mighty and dreadful it cannot kill an idea, it cannot kill a hope. A bullet can kill a man, it cannot kill a democracy. Nor can death triumph over the ideals that President Kennedy died for. These only we can kill. 

President Kennedy died fighting for peace, justice,  liberty and equality. We must continue his battle.