Last week, as I was walking to Hillel for Rosh Hashana (the Jewish New Year) services, I called my friend Lauren, who went to high school with me and now goes to the Berklee College of Music just a few blocks away from Northeastern. I wanted to know what time I should be at her apartment for dinner.

“Did you hear what happened to Matt Hall?” she said. I didn’t know, but I could tell that bad news was coming. “He was murdered,” she said. “It’s all over the news in New York.” I felt like a pane of glass that had just bit hit by a rock and shattered. “Oh, God,” I said.

Matthew Hall went to my high school, La Guardia High School of Music, Art and the Performing Arts in New York City. He was 18 years old and a sophomore honors student at Hunter College, also in New York. He was funny, kind and really talented. He was the founder of the Zulu Nation chapter at his school, a hip-hop political and cultural group. He was shot and killed after leaving a Zulu Nation meeting in Harlem last Wednesday night.

I looked at a picture of him in Lauren’s apartment. We weren’t close friends, but memories of conversations we shared crossed my mind and I felt very sad.

Why did this happen to him? How could it have happened? The police don’t have any suspects, although they believe the murder was connected to a dispute involving Zulu Nation.

Lauren went to New York for the memorial service and told me that there were 600 people there, including students and teachers from our high school. She had been good friends with him since they were young. The service provided closure for her. I’m still trying to come to terms with the reality that something like this can happen.

I read a few newspapers every day, and it’s no surprise that they’re filled with horrific crimes. But when a tragedy like this happens to someone you knew, it’s really scary.

My high school graduating class has been through a lot. Two years ago, during my senior year, the World Trade Center was attacked. I was a few miles away, but it set a disturbing tone for my last year at La Guardia. Our city and nation were in mourning, and I still had to apply to college and finish up school.

Life goes on, and even though it’s a difficult process, we eventually heal and try to move on.

This week was the most important Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur, a day of repenting for our sins of the past year. Since Jews don’t believe in Hell, we have the “Book of Life” instead. On Yom Kippur, even though we may not be able to change our fate of being written in the book, it is a chance to demonstrate our remorse and make amends. Before the day of Yom Kippur, we ask forgiveness from all the people who we may have harmed. On the day of Yom Kippur, we ask forgiveness from God.

In the past I haven’t taken Yom Kippur very seriously. I’ve never quite made it the whole day without eating and I’ve nodded off in services. But this year was different. I’m not saying that I’ve sinned more than other years, but I really feel like with my sister in Israel, I have to pray and be thankful for what I have.

The Jewish New Year is like the one we have on Jan. 1. We make resolutions and try to keep them. In the prayer book, it says, “There is no one righteous enough to say he hasn’t sinned.” I believe this is true. No matter how “perfect” we try to be, we can always do better. We can strive to be nicer to our neighbors and more generous with our time, money and especially friendship. One thing I like to do is call friends out of the blue to see how they’re doing.

I wish I had a chance to tell Matt Hall what a good person he was. He made high school a fun place to be and he added light into our lives. The 600 people at his memorial were only a fraction of the people he meant so much to. He will be greatly missed.

My hope for this year is that we all try to be good people. Let’s be kind to each other and forgiving of each other’s faults. I know I’m guilty myself, but there is too much gossip, jealousy and competition in this world. If we start with our school, we can make this world a happier place. Smile more. Call your friends to say hi. E-mail your relatives. Join a club. Matt’s dream was to have peace between people of different backgrounds and cultures. We can finish his dream for him.

— Briyah Paley is a sophomore journalism major and a member of The News staff.