‘Love Like the Boys’ spreads cheer as David and Cecil did
Two victims of the terrible 2018 massacre at Squirrel Hill’s Tree of Life synagogue are continuing to shine their light on Pittsburgh.
Cecil Rosenthal, 59, and his brother, David, 54, who both had a genetic condition that left them with intellectual disabilities, were gunned down during that morning’s services. Their joyful spirits touched many, including the folks at Achieva, a nonprofit dedicated to helping those with disabilities that ran the community home where the Rosenthals lived.
Achieva has been honoring their memory and promoting kindness via its “Love Like the Boys” campaign, inspired by the way family and friends affectionately referred to the fullygrown David and Cecil as “the boys.”
“It was our way to keep their memory alive and bring some joy after such a tragic event,” said Lisa Razza, Achieva’s director of communications.
The “Love Like the Boys” campaign encourages folks to print out “random acts of kindness” cards, available on Achieva’s website, and distribute them to spread a little cheer in their names.
“They really epitomized what we want for the people we support: to live a life of personal significance,” she said.
They’re still contributing, thanks to “Love Like the Boys” and Achieva’s David and Cecil Rosenthal Fund, which Ms. Razza described as a Make-A-Wish Foundation-esque initiative for people with disabilities. She also said the Rosenthal family’s designation of Achieva as a fund to which people can donate in David and Cecil’s memory has earned the organization at least $200,000 in contributions.
Achieva has been working closely with Pittsburgh’s Jewish community to ensure the Rosenthals were not killed in vain and to help their family heal.“I hope that they can find some peace despite the tragedy,” Ms. Razza said. “I hope they can find joy in, for instance, these small acts of kindness that are completed in memory of Cecil and David.”