#ShowUpForShabbat and The Dangers of Practicing Religion

#ShowUpForShabbat is a hashtag utilized for twitter-users to express responses, both saddening and motivational, regarding the shooting located at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It has gained national and international attention; various corporations and nonprofits have expressed condolences and calls to action, including Health Corps.
Many Jewish people are using the hashtag to motivate other Jewish members of society who may feel afraid as a result of the shooting to continue practicing their religion, even if it means risking their life. @MayaSpinner tweets, “I’m gonna #ShowUpForShabbat are you?” in an attempt to garner public support amongst the Jewish community.
The popularity of the hashtag is an effective, but not entirely accurate representation of protest as a response to traumatic events. Those who feel traumatized, fearful or otherwise unable to cope with recent events should feel comfortable to protest in whatever way they choose - even if it just means continuing to attend work regularly, or to care for the needs of their child, or to focus on school, or to be a good person in any capacity. It is absolutely necessary in moments such as these to prioritize mental health; and if #ShowingUpToShabbat means attending Shabbat, then do it. Otherwise, shouldn’t people pay attention to their mind and body?