The morning of April 23rd, 2026 I heard Brown School professor Mark Rank speak about his latest book, The Random Factor. That afternoon in a random freak accident, well known and beloved St. Louis icon, Ray Hartmann, may his memory be a blessing, died. That evening, before many of his colleagues and friends knew of his tragic death, we gathered to honor those like Ray who tell our stories and help us understand why they matter and inducted a new class into the Media Hall of Fame. Each inductee, as Ray did in 2010, spoke about the people upon whose shoulders they stood, who they would not be without their presence, their mentoring and their friendship. I thought, not much random about that.

Many have already paid tribute to the gifts of Ray’s life and legacy, his many accomplishments, his bold risk taking as a journalist and shared their tender memories of meaningful encounters. There is much love and gratitude for this man who lived with purpose and graced our lives. As this community prepares to stand with the family he adored as they embrace the grief that will be forever a part of their lives, many will struggle with his untimely and seemingly random death.

Ray felt his Jewish identity deeply. The prayers and rituals offered over the next days will attempt to fill the huge space he has left by celebrating his life, comforting his mourners and by saying the ancient prayers that we hope will build a bridge for his good soul to pass between this world and the next. As a community we do this by showing up and by sharing our stories with his family and with each other.

And what of the random factor that reminds us how vulnerable we are and how this awareness may influence the way we respond to this tragedy? First, I do not believe that reward and punishment are at play when tragedy strikes. There may be consequences for our actions and inevitable occurrences because of the structures of the societies in which we live. It may be human nature to try to make sense of tragedy and to blame victims but we know better. Random tragedies happen to all kinds of people. I also believe that we have free will within the confines of what we can control but there also seems to be so much that is at the mercy of our human limitations and beyond our control in this imperfect world.

But what of providence? What of the belief that there is a divine plan for each of us and for the collective human family? What of those moments and meetings that seem “basherte,” meant to be? There can be comfort in this belief because when we fail, when we miss an opportunity, when tragedy strikes, we can shift the cause or even the blame to fate or destiny.

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So what is it? Do we live and die by the randomness of chance or by some grand plan? Like most things, this is not either/or, it is both/and. Like faith and reason, randomness and providence together find a balance to guide us. Clearly there are many things that are not within our control, that are random. With free will we can either throw up our hands and give up or defy despair and remember that we are here to do what we can to repair the brokenness and to relieve suffering and to respond in holy ways to life’s challenges.

As Mark Rank teaches in his book, this random factor also leaves room for hope in the chance that something good can also happen. The notion that there is randomness also challenges any claim to the pride of privilege and instills a sense of humility that ultimately will save a planet being destroyed by the greed of some who dare to think they deserve more than others. But it can also be true that believing that we are part of something greater than ourselves and that we live within a plan dares us to want to be part of a plan we can be proud of.

I’ve been rereading Ray’s substacks. I will miss the clarity that comes from his research, his discerning mind and his very good heart. I will miss his calls filled with indignation at the state of our state and the holy chutzpah that drove him to take on all that fell short of being and doing better. As we accompany and offer support to his family who are now walking through the valley of the shadow of this tragic death, I pray that we do what we can to keep Ray’s bold voice alive and we make sure that his memory will always be a blessing. Rest in peace, dear friend.

Susan Talve is rabbi emerita of Central Reform Congregation and founder of Ashrei Foundation 

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