Dear Lebanese friends,

I am praying you and your families are all safe after the horrendous explosion yesterday. Lebanon faced even before this tragic event a truly daunting set of challenges. Now the political system, governance, the economy, the environment, the health system, and the society will be tested even more.

I know you as clever, devoted, and patriotic people. Wherever you live now you maintain strong attachments to Lebanon and try to help its people and society come to terms with their many difficulties. I admire your efforts and hope that this incident will bring out the best in both the Lebanese who live in Lebanon and its far-flung diaspora.

You are of many faiths and traditions, which in my view is a great strength. You will need cohesion to face the future, which will pose much greater challenges in the months to come than the immediate effects of the explosion yesterday. You will need help from abroad, which should not be denied. And you will need a spirit of devotion and solidarity not only among yourselves but extending also to others who have profited from Beirut in so many different ways.

My condolences to the bereaved, best wishes for quick and complete recovery to the wounded, and hopes to all of you for repair of your wounded spirits. In my tradition, we talk of obligations to tikkun olam (repair of the world) and gemilut chasadim (acts of loving kindness). May you be the recipients of both, having given so much of both to others.