On Friday, April 20, a special candle lighting ceremony was held to commemorate the death of Virginia Tech Professor Liviu Librescu, the Holocaust survivor who died protecting his students. The impetus for the ceremony was the fact that the victim's widow, Marlina Librescu told Chabad Rabbi Mayer who helped prepare the Professor's body for burial in Israel :
"My husband loved the special Jewish ceremony that marks the beginning of the Sabbath on Friday's eve. He would always remind me to light candles as the sun was setting. The biggest happiness I could have would be to have Shabbat candles lit in my husband's memory."
In response, Chabad Houses on campuses across the country asked that girls come together to honor the memory of Librescu in this way. At the Chabad House, special candle lighting ceremonies will be held each Friday until the end of the semester which will mark the end of the Shloshim ( first thirty days from death) period for Librescu.