Queen Elizabeth II:  Bringing People Together

By Shlomo Maital

    Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday Sept. 8.  Today (Sept. 19) is her funeral. Many thousands of people queued to pay their respects, as her coffin lay in state, waiting for many hours, with lines stretching for miles. 

    According to the BBC, the British people waiting in the queue struck up friendships, exchanged phone numbers, and made friendships.  Queen Elizabeth brought people together, even after her death.

    Hearing this, I recalled my own family.  We are scattered, across the US, Canada and Israel.  When someone in the family passed away, we would often gather together, for traditional Jewish rituals.  Despite the sad occasion, there was great happiness in simply being together.  Death brought us together.  At one point, we said, why do we only gather together on sad occasions?  Let’s get together on happy ones.  And we organized family reunions, at least 3 of them, that were truly memorable.

     The Queen brought people together, in friendship and brotherhood/sisterhood, in her lifetime.  And even after her death.  Very few people can say that.   And as half the world view her funeral, as only the British can do it, she reminds us of the core values:  grace, dignity, humility, concern for others, good manners, service to others,  that bring all of us together.