More than a week removed from the violence in Charlottesville, both the mental and physical wounds are still healing.
Hundreds of miles away in Boca Raton, members of the faith community there are coming together to show what makes us different can also unite us.
The national conversation all week, in the wake of all the violence and debate and discussion, is how do we move forward as a country?
Members of the community in Boca Raton say there's only one way, together.
“This is who we want to be as a people, as a nation,” says Rev. Andrew Sherman with St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church.
The images of unity at the interfaith vigil at Sanborn Square Park Monday night served as a sharp contrast to the scene in Charlottesville a little more than a week ago.
“There is hatred,” says Myriam Weinstein, who attended the vigil. “But I never expected something like this.
For Weinstein, whose mother grew up under the rule of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany, it was an ugly wake up call.
“I guess I've always know that it's underground, that it exists, but I think the white supremacists have been emboldened to come out now,” Weinstein said.
Weinstein said the hate has woken up something far more powerful.
“The fact that there has been such a push back is really very encouraging,” said Weinstein.
At Sanborn Square Park, that push includes people of all religions, races and ages coming together show what we are capable of when we unite.
“Non hate groups are really important to have so we can show the world hate isn't ok,” says high school student Alana Starr, who attended the vigil.
It starts, they say, with a spark of unity - one with the potential to grow into something much greater.
“There is a darkness inside of people,” says Rabbi David Steinhardt of Bnai Torah Congregation. “People have to be willing to confront that darkness and get rid of it. Allow it to be overcome by something that is filled with light. Something that brings hope. Something that brings love.”
Almost 20 area congregations came together to pull this off, representing members of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith.
