I am nearly paralyzed by sadness over the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. I won’t even try to put into words how I’m feeling, or how this has affected me, or try to answer questions that have no answers. Truly, it is so far beyond any coping mechanism or comprehension.
We have all been affected by this on a personal level, and this is just about as bad as it gets. We can try to help by offering our love to the victims families, to our families, to our friends, to our neighbors.
My beautiful friend Victoria found out late Friday afternoon that her nephew, Noah Pozner, was one of the children whose life was claimed at Sandy Hook Elementary on Friday morning.
Noah was the youngest of the children, having freshly turned 6 years old.
“He was a rambunctious little maverick, and smart as a whip.
A gentle soul who loved his family, his parents, his siblings, and especially his best friend, his twin sister, Arielle.
Noah loved Super Mario Brothers, super heroes, and Legos. He loved to read, and was so exited to to read his new Ninjago book that he got at a recent fair. (He never got to read it)
He loved all animals. His favorite color was blue.
He was a great kid who would’ve become a great man.
We want the whole world to know what was taken from us.”
Noah’s family is Jewish and his Hebrew name is Shamule.
The family is in need and would appreciate any help you can possibly offer.
To Help:
Probably the easiest and most helpful way to reach out to Noah’s family is to send in a donation of any amount.
Checks, gifts, packages (UPS/USPS), and donations can be sent to the following:
Noah’s Ark of Hope Fund
261 S. Main St. #332
Newtown, CT 06470
Head over here for Noah’s Ark of Hope Fund.
This eventbrite link has been set up to accept donations to this irrevocable trust specifically for Noah’s surviving siblings, two of whom were also in the school that day, in different classrooms.
The funds received will be used to provide counseling services, education and basic needs for the children at this time of grief. Noah leaves behind his twin sister and three other siblings.
Funds can also be sent to the Pozner family to Victoria Haller’s PayPal account: vdogblog@gmail.com
There is an auction set up to benefit the family HERE.
Noah’s funeral is tomorrow afternoon, and is being held here:
Abraham L. Green funeral
88 Beach Road
Fairfield, CT.
More information can be found HERE and HERE.
Please share this information liberally on Facebook, Twitter, G+, email… Any way you see fit. If you tweet, please use #LoveForNoah. I understand that many of us aren’t in a position to donate financially, but I would be so grateful if you would help spread the word.
It is all I can do to simply get this information out there and beg that it be shared so we can help this family alleviate even a minuscule amount of torment.
We must lift these families up in love and light as much as we’ve got in our hearts, as much as we possibly can.
May sweet Noah rest in peace and know that he is a superhero, forever.
Mother, dental school widow, fashionista. Suburban transplant adapting to life in Manhattan and loving it.
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Don’t send flowers. Jewish people don’t send flowers when someone dies. Use the donations for other things. ; )
Thank you for sharing this. I hope you continue to post the addresses and such for the other victims and their families so we can help them as well. How terribly sad.
Right now I’m sharing information that I’ve gotten from the family of Noah… If I get any more info, I will share and I appreciate your attention and effort! Love to you all.
My heartfelt condolences to the family. This is a terrible tragedy that is hard to comprehend.
In Jewish tradition you do not send flowers. It is advised to do an act of kindness (mitzva) or make a donation in memory of the deceased. The merit of the good deed/donation elevates the deceased’s soul in heaven. May his neshama (soul) have an Aliya and may Noah sit among God and the angels.
May his memory be blessed (Yehe zichro baruch in Hebrew)
Rachel
New Jersey
Thank you Tania and Rachel. I appreciate your insight, as I am not Jewish and don’t know the traditions as well as I probably should. One of the family members had requested flowers on a FB update, so I thought I would just add it (though I personally chose to send cash). I’ll remove that part.
An awful tragedy has occurred why can’t you ask for prayers??? We should all be on our knees praying to GOD!!! Perhaps if more families had God in their lives tragedies like this would not happen. Is it politically correct to say love and light? Our society is in a downward spiral and it’s sad that blogs that I have loved to read are showing their true values during such devastating times. This family will be in my prayers as all the Newton CT families – prayer will help for more than anything else. God Bless them
Lianna – this post was written with complete selflessness asking for one human to help another in a time of need. If that’s not an example of God’s love, then maybe you need to go back and read your Bible.
“And God said let there be light…”
I’ll take any love and light that is sent my way.
paz en sus almas,ese hermoso niño esta con papa Dios,es un angel regocijensen en jesus el os dara resignacion un beso y un abrazo muy calido desde colombia los amoo
Lianna,
When I heard the news, I literally fell to my knees. I’ve wept and prayed since Friday, and today I was grateful to be able to take action of some sort and share ways to actively help-if only one family.
I shouldn’t have to ask people to pray, because I’m certain that everyone has done lots of that. It’s time to focus on being positive and actually helping one another rather than beating each other down at every turn. I didn’t mean to offend anyone by requesting flowers to a Jewish family, or not using the word “prayer” in my post, but I think I got the point across that there is great suffering and sadness out there right now, and maybe if we look we can do something to actively help in some small way.
Jessica you are so sweet…no need to apologize for your post. The world is shaken right now and you have just given us a tangible way to help a family who has just experienced an unspeakable tragedy.
…anyone who believes in prayer does not need anyone to tell them to pray…
The world has been changed yet again but as Fred Rogers mother told him, look at all those who help one another when awful things happen that we cannot understand.
I go back to my Jesuit education…and St. Ignatius, who preached about being a person “in service to others”.
Thank you for opening a way to do just that. xoxo
I am observant Jewish and I was not the least bit offended by your request for flowers. I can recognize goodness when I see it, and your comment came from a loving place. Keep up your good work! If the world was filled with more people like you, asking for flowers….. what a better place it would be!
Jessica – Thank you so much for giving me a tangible way to act on the immense grief that I have been experiencing since Friday. A grief so deep that it sends me to my knees in prayer barely able to get up again. A grief so deep that I climb into my children’s bed, just to be with them as much as I possibly can. And a grief that can’t even fathom the depth of suffering that Newtown families are feeling right now.
Lianne- Your comment is out of order. When I pray – I pray in love. I pray in light. Now is not the time to judge. It is the time to embrace compassion, teach love in our homes and reflect it in our words.
Jessica – thank you for taking the time to share something so important. Thank you for disseminating information that is relevant. Thanks for helping us find a way to collectively come together to do something.
In this time of grief we all should agree on one thing….. that is this was a senseless act, its heartbreaking to watch it unfold. I too have a child who is 6 and can not imagine the grief, the pain and the emptiness these families feel and will continue to feel long after the media coverage ends and time goes on. I cant imagine the loss of a child and pray that they have the strength and support that they need to get thru this. Thank you for sharing this information
Thank you Jessica for sharing this with us as we all choose to grieve and honor those that were lost in our own ways. I truly appreciate all of your suggestions. xo
Thank you Jessica for sharing the information and links on how to help Noah’s family. We each cope in unique ways–but most importantly, honoring Noah and supporting his family– in anyway we can, are concrete things we can do.
thank you so much for sharing this. i’m glad i could get to “know” noah and his family. what a sweet sweet boy. and i’m so glad you shared a way we can tangibly help. i shared on fb too, i hope they feel the love when donations come in. also, if you hear of other families, would love to have a link to donate!
you are amazing, jess, and have such a heart for people. xo
Thank you for allowing me some way to express my sorrow for Noah’s family. Every child lost was a tremendous tragedy but for some reason this little Hebrew boy lost on Hanukkah has hit me the hardest. Thank you for doing this for the family. I donated what little I could. Love for Noah and love for him mommy! And people please stop being so hard on one another! Please! Not on a site dedicated to Noah.
As the mother of twins, this just kills me. My heart is breaking for these families, but now especially little Arielle, who will be especially lifted up in my home in prayer. Thank you for sharing this little boy’s life with us. I will be sure to share this.
What a beautiful little boy. My son is the same age and my heart breaks for everyone. Thanks for posting this, I was looking for the paypal link for making a donation. I echo what folks above said. Would like any other links to help. The most heartbreaking weekend.
We ask “What can we do?” And here is an answer. One way to help the suffering family of a sweet and beautiful little person. Thank you for sharing his story. We need to know more about the victims. They are the ones to be remembered.
Thanks for letting us know what we can do. I can’t even imagine what those 26 families are going through. Glad I can help lighten someone’s load in some small way.
Not that this means everything but what a handsome little lad
he would’ve been a knockout. I like that he loved animals. All the kids
were just so cute. I’m so greatful my sons made it to manhood. I wouldnt
have been able to carry on if it was my child. Well they’re all with the Lord
now those little ones and happy.
Thank you, the family’s synagogue is also accepting checks for the family. From the synagogue’s website:
If you would like to donate directly to the family of 6 year old victim Noah Pozner, currently please make checks out to Congregation Adath Israel of Newtown and write on the MEMO line “For the Family of Noah Pozner.” All monies collected will go directly to the family to help support them during this terrible time. Checks should be sent to Congregation Adath Israel, P.O. Box 623, Newtown, CT 06470.
May all the good that people are doing bring some comfort to the families….
Such a beautiful beautiful boy!! Thank you for putting this post together and shedding some light on the little human behind the name. His family has been absolutely robbed of a life they deserved with him. It’s not fair.
Hey Jessica! There is a whole group up here in Westport that is rallying to support Noah’s family. Thank you for posting this information. We are on it!
I don’t even know how to begin I also had my only son taking from me by a gunman . when this happen To these familys and everyother time it happens it open’s those old wound’s for me I’m so very sickend by the way we handle gun control, I want to also help put a stop to these monsters who should not be carrying a gun or any weapon off any kind Im so hurt just when I think I finally have a chance to breath happy thought’s about my son Ryan something like this take’s that away from me . My Heart hurt’s with so much pain for these family’s I do know what they are feeling trust me . Please let me know how I can help take a stand to put a stop to these horrible killing’s God Bless My Deepest Prayer’s are with you and your Family’s Love Deborah Prairie .
Baruch dayan ha’emet. May his memory be a blessing. We are grieving in California for all of the victims and families.
Hi – I just want to make sure that the Event brite address is ‘real’? I donated to it, but then wasn’t 100% sure that the funds are really going to the family… is there some way to verify that it’s not a scam? Thank you!
Others may have said this but please don’t send flowers! They are for times of joy in our faith and not appropriate for a grieving Jewish family. I’ll go donate now but wanted to make sure that was clarified!! Thanks for all you’re doing to help with something I still can’t wrap my head around.
Thank you for posting this and giving a name some context and more so a face.
The Paypal payment goes not to someone named Taylor, but to an S. Gasparis. Trusting it’s the right source… Anyway, thanks for posting about Noah, Jessica. My sister knows one of the victim’s families, so I’m waiting for info on how to help them (small of a gesture as it may be) as well.
Thank you Jessica for giving us a more direct link to Noah’s family.
Words cannot express the pain, and so I light candles.
All these beautiful children, angels really, their “neshamas” (souls) are now
lighting up G-d’s heaven.
Little Noah is a precious light indeed.
May Hashem bless the all the little angels and their teachers.
And may their families find the strength to go on in peace.
Thank you for this post. I have donated, and will pass the link along via social media. I cannot begin to understand the pain that you and the families are experiencing, and I know that so many of us feel helpless. What can we do for someone on the other side of the country? While I know my donation cannot ease the pain, I hope that it will at least help to ease the family’s financial burden.
Hi,
I am a teacher and CT resident…I am from and work in a town 6 miles from Sandy Hook. I am beyond heartbroken, please feel free to contact me if you know of any specific needs. I would like to help in any way that I can.
Thanks for this post
I apologize for my comment… I was hurting as is everyone and I made a mistake in writing what I did . I am sorry. I know as parents we are all struggling together. As a Christian (and yes I know everyone has their own beliefs) I just pray that parents will let their Children know God – I can’t help but think our world just may be a better place if that was the case and I do not write this to be argumentative toward any non-believers… thank you.
May G-d comfort Noah’s family among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. No parent should ever have to sit shiva for a murdered child.
Do you know the Hebrew names of Noah’s parents, as well? I and several others would like to include him properly in our congregation’s Kaddish list.
Some of my friends and I were wondering if they are sitting shiva , where, and do they want visitors. Please let me know. We want to come in from New York to show support though this difficult time in their life.
I have five children the youngest of which is 5 years old. My Joey is an almost scary likeness of Noah. Not only do they look similar, but his biggest wish is to get a real Mario for Christmas and would rather go to Taco Bell then any place else for dinner. My heart is just breaking for this family, I can not read about him with out crying. I can’t imagine putting my baby on the bus for school and having him not come home. I will think of Noah and his family often and pray that God gives them the strength to go on for without his help, how do you go on? Thank you for sharing.
I am a mother of 4 boys, I live in Israel in the south. I have experienced rockets and bomb shelters…..and all the stress that comes with it…..when i hear a truck with air breaks slowing down on the near by hi way i start to panic because it sounds like the beginning of a siren. To hear that out of an ordinary day a beautiful Jewish soul was taken far from here is heart breaking. I would like to share my heart with Noah’s mother and take some of her sorrow from her and let her know from 1000′s of miles away she is not alone. All my motherly love, Kim.
I’m so unbelievably sorry for the loss. I was looking into donating to the family and I saw that this email address (stgasparis@gmail.com) is taking donations on paypal. Is this legit? I’ve seen many people tweeting this seller account as well.
Oh, so sorry to hear of your shared loss with your friend. It was such a tragedy and I pray that the families find surprising peace as they continue to grieve. Thank you for all the sharing.
Hi! My name is Carolyn Jones. I am fifteen years old and live in Cincinnati, Ohio. I go to Cincinnati Christian school in Fairfield, Ohio and a freshman. When I heard about Noah, he touched my heart in a way that I never knew was possible. I felt like I knew him even though he lived hundreds of miles away. He was a boy that affected me so much that I thought there has to be a reason that God is putting him in my life. I prayed about it a lot and what really pressed on my heart was to come out and visit Noah’s family. It would be a great experience and something that I really feel called to do. However, there are many problems with this trip. I don’t know the Pozner’s address, I don’t know how to contact them, I don’t know if they would be willing to meet me or anything. Like I said, I live in Ohio and it is a very big idea and a long process but I have been looking at traveling times. I would probably go during the summer and it seems like it would take about eleven hours.
I stumbled upon this page as I was researching about the trip and I believe you are a friend of Noah’s grandma? I was wondering if there was any way you could answer some of my questions so that this idea could possibly become a reality.
With much thanks,
Carolyn Jones
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