By Rabbi Dan Lewin

On Monday, Oct. 9, Chabad of Dallas held a solidarity rally for Israel.

The content of the evening’s program focused on a call to action using the main spiritual devices that can make a difference — the three pillars of Torah, tefillah (prayer), and tzedakah (charity) — which sustain the world and pierce the heavens.

To lead off, everyone studied a Mishnah together.

Rabbi Mendel Dubrawsky, who led the program, spoke about what our mental response must be: the balance of being aware and sensitive to the tragedies while remaining positive and maintaining trust.

Fulfilling the prayer portion of the evening, different community leaders were called up to lead in the recitation of specific Psalms said during times of distress. The merit of saying Psalms daily — specifically, the chapter numbered a person’s age plus one — was also explained.

To help our brothers and sisters in Israel, everyone was then encouraged to give tzedakah to a meaningful cause. Rabbi Dubrawsky addressed the deeper explanation of why tzedakah is such a powerful mitzvah.

Rabbi Dubrawsky then discussed another important expression: the power of song and music, which is described in Chassidic tradition as “the pen of the soul.”

A special guest, Rabbi Pdaya Halperin, an Akiba Yavneh Academy teacher, was called up. Playing his guitar, he sang some beautiful, stirring Hebrew songs on behalf of our soldiers in Israel.

It was a well-organized and emotional evening of tremendous solidarity. People walked away empowered and equipped with some practical tools to implement in their lives and bring in more light to combat the darkness.