Candles and Song Honor Abdulrazzak

As motorists passed by the parking lot on Saturday night around 11:45 p.m., a circle of candles could be seen.

Despite the , almost 50 people attended the candlelight vigil, which was organized by Weis Markets employees to honor the the memory of Donya Abdulrazzak on June 4, the .

, one of the Weis employees and Abdulrazzak’s “Weis Mom” led the vigil as she introduced singers, Paige Meyner and Alana Gehringer. Each sang two songs, occasionally asking the attendees to join in.

Meyner, a theater major at Northampton Area Community College, opened the vigil by singing “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” from “Phantom of the Opera.” Gehringer works part time at Weis and attends Lehigh County Community College.

Both women sang a cappella, enhancing the solemn feeling of the night.

After several songs were sung, memories were shared among those in the candlelit circle. Some of Abdulrazzak’s co-workers recalled her as “always with a smile on her face” and “such a joy to be around.” Several comments were made about her love of plants and how she would often purchase the discounted plants to take home to her mother, Ghada.

Abdulrazzak’s family attended the event, even on such short notice.

Weis Markets store manager, Jeff Dolan, donated three rose bushes to plant at the base of the store sign at the main entrance on Chestnut Street. Abdulrazzak was often referred to as the “Rose of Baghdad” by her co-workers.

After the vigil, several Weis employees planted the rose bushes and vowed to water them daily in memory of Donya.