Brooklyn, NY – The daughter of two prominent Reform rabbis was killed while biking when she was hit by a cement truck in Brooklyn.
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Devra Freelander, 28, was struck on Monday at an intersection in the East Williamsburg neighborhood. The driver has not been charged so far, according to the New York Daily News. Police are investigating the incident.
Freelander was an award-winning video and sculpture artist whose work was on display recently in Times Square. She was a graduate of Oberlin College in Ohio and the Rhode Island School of Design.
Her parents are Rabbis Dan Freelander and Elyse Frishman.
Freelander has served as president of the World Union of Progressive Judaism and senior vice president of the Union for Reform Judaism, while Frishman has created liturgy for the Reform movement and edited the popular Mishkan T’filah prayer book.
A number of Jewish organizations, including the Union for Reform Judaism, the World Union for Progressive Judaism and the Zamir Choral Foundation mourned her loss in statements.
“Devra’s passion, creativity, warmth, and insight were hallmarks of her art and her life – both of which ended far too soon,” said URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs in a statement.
The World Union for Progressive Judaism said Freelander “will be remembered for her passion, creativity, warmth and insight.”
BD”E
Baruch Dayan ha’Emet
BD”E. Please no moralistic aspersions.
The city is hostile to bikers. The roads need to be redone to accommodate environmentally friendly people who don’t want to die.
So sad. Horrible incident. May the Almighty comfort the parents in their sorrow.
Boruch Dayan HaEmmes, absolutely terrible and devastating, but why do you write of her parents as prominent Reform Rabbis? For Jews there is no prominency when relating to the officials of that faith. They are Mr and Mrs Freelander.
המקום ינחם אתם בתוך אבלי ציון וירושלים.