Violence and war cannot be taken lightly. Our mental health is the most important aspect of our well-being. Anything around us can affect it. Buddhist philosophers placed care at the center of their understanding of ethical life.
MAY 2026 was blessed with many celebrations across our three beautiful Abrahamic faiths.
– Christians celebrated the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, and on Pentecost Sunday they celebrated the Holy Spirit who enlightens our hearts and minds.
– Our brothers and sisters of the Jewish Faith celebrated Shavuot, the revelation of the Torah to Moses, including the Ten Commandments, roots and founding principles of the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Faiths.
– For our Muslim brothers and sisters, it was the most sacred time of the Islamic calendar, The month of the Hajj, the big pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the five pillars of Islam.
Abraham’s sacrifice, dear to Jews, Christians, and Muslims, is celebrated only by Muslims on Eid al-Adha. During Eid al-Adha, the customary practices include sacrificing a lamb or a goat or engaging in almsgiving. This occurs during the Hajj pilgrimage.
The festivities of this month are characterized by joyful moments, representing a cherished time with family and friends, in stark contrast with the San Diego’s tragedy.
On May 18, a shocking Turn of Events: San Diego Mosque shooting, a nightmare.
How can one imagine that here in the United States, our beautiful country, the country of Liberty, due to misinformation and ignorance, some of our children and grandchildren had been hunted down because of their faith. It’s heartbreaking what a 9-year-old boy, Odai Shanah, a survivor of the shooting, had to say describing the ordeal: << I heard a bunch of bad stuff, like gunshots. I went inside the closet with my whole class. We heard like 12 or 16 gunshots, and the SWAT team came: “FBI open up “and they opened the door and they told us to put our hands up and form a big line. We were all walking inside the room of prayer, and we went down we saw a bunch of bad stuff, people laying down, yeah bad stuff. I felt a bit scared; my legs were shaking, and my hands, and my head was hurting a lot. I felt like a rock. >>
At the Foundation, we were devastated by such a tragedy; we work hard with teenagers aged 14- to free them from their prejudices about other people’s faiths. There is more work to be done.
Violence cannot be taken lightly, as it affects our mental health, creating trauma.
The dramatic incident has taken the lives of three heroic men who sacrificed themselves to protect 140 children. We understand the excruciating pain inflicted on their families.
We can offer prayers for them; we cannot evaluate the trauma they will carry. Odai Shanah and his 139 peers, how are they going to process the traumatic event? Are ten years enough?
We don’t know.
War is the ultimate violence. On Memorial Day, May 25, 2026, I was visiting my Beloved Husband, Ambassador Ghoulem Berrah’s grave, a permanent source of inspiration. A man in his seventies approached me. He was wearing a chain with a large cross and said, “Hello, sorry to bother you. I am a Vietnam War veteran. I was able to make it.” “Congratulations, thank you for your service,” I interjected. He became emotional: “My friend didn’t make it. I can’t find his grave.” I became emotional too, but I gathered my strength to help him.
I recommended that he come back the following day; the office would be able to take him to his friend’s grave because they have a map and all names are listed. He was happy with my advice, which brought a smile to his face. He thanked me and left.
After 51 years, his wound didn’t go away; in fact, it will never heal. I have experience with my Beloved Husband, a veteran of the Algerian War.
We care when we take suffering as a motive to act to relieve it. Let’s work for peace.