Dear Fordham Law Community,
For many in our community the festival of Passover and the holiday of Easter are traditional times when we gather with family and loved ones, as we welcome the arrival of spring and celebrate freedom and renewal. This year these holidays will be very different as the act of gathering is precisely what is forbidden to us. At the same time, gathering would seem essential as many in our community are ill, caring for vulnerable family members, and anxious about the future.
The pandemic is a catastrophe on a scale that the world has rarely seen. The challenge is first, to get through it and second, to come out of it in a way that enables us to build for the future, both in our personal lives and for our community. To do either of these things, we need each other. We need to draw on support, recognizing our own need for help and we need to provide support to others. It is a moment to reaffirm our connection — our connection to family, to loved ones, to friends, and to our Fordham community.
So I ask you during this break to reach out and renew your own connections — to family and friends who you have not been in touch with, to mentors and teachers who have provided you with guidance and inspiration in your lives, and to colleagues who you have worked and collaborated with.
Students, I want to remind you that if you have a hardship due to COVID-19, you can apply for aid here. Thank you to the FLAA, alumni, faculty, staff, and students who have donated generously to this fund.
I wish you all the best for this holiday season and I look forward to seeing you all remotely when we return and in person as soon as we are able. Please reach out and let me know how you are doing.
With warm wishes,
Matthew Diller
Dean
Paul Fuller Professor of Law