Mi sheberakh avoteinu M’kor habrakhah l’imoteinuMay the source of strength who blessed the ones before us, Help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing And let us say: Amen.— Hebrew prayer of healingThursday was a day of note on the Christian liturgical calendar. Nov. 1 was All Saints’ Day, a day set aside to honor the memory of those who lived exemplary lives of faith, and especially those who died for their faith.We hold them up as exemplary individuals of enduring, sacrificial love. We call them by special names. We call them martyrs. We call them saints.For Butler, this was not an ordinary All Saints’ Day. For the first time that we know of, Jews and Christians came together in mourning for martyrs, 11 members of a synagogue in Pittsburgh who died there Saturday during an attack by an armed madman.Let’s all agree: these people are saints.Religious leaders quibble about the details and definitions. They always have. The Catholic tradition canonizes saints — those who not only lived exemplary lives, but who also have been credited with performing miracles. Protestants are less formal. They consider a saint anyone who lived by faith.Both points of view are deeply rooted in Jewish tradition that goes all the way back to Moses. Back to Abraham. Back to Adam. The Jewish Encyclopedia defines saintliness — hasidut — as divine righteousness; it’s distinguished from mere holiness — kedushah — that comes from following the Ten Commandments.So we have differences. But now is not the time to dwell on the differences. Now is not the time to let our differences segregate us.Together we mourn the dead, but more importantly, together we look out for the living.Together we honor the saints; together let’s do our best to draw inspiration from their example; and live saintly lives.Together we paused. We wept and worshipped. Now, together we go on.It is good that we respect and tolerate one another’s differences. But that’s not enough. A vibrant community understands — and defends — the idea that together we are greater than we are individually; the sum is greater than the total of its parts.Our Jewish brothers and sisters have every right to be fearful, angry and in deep grief. Butler’s Congregation B’nai Abraham has many ties to the Tree of Life Synagogue, where Saturday’s attack occurred. It only compounds the pain knowing that the accused gunman has been lodged eight blocks away at the Butler County Prison, and fear that his presence alone might attract like-minded hatemongers to our community.On All Saints Day, we came together to pledge unity. We all should bear in mind that unity has a cost. It is good that we respect and tolerate each other’s differences; better that we’re willing to defend each others’ right to hold different beliefs and opinions as we move ahead.For now, we mourn. We weep. We heal.And in saintly tradition, we love.Shalom aleichem.