Victor Cohen
On September 10, 2025, while debating college students at a university in Utah, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot in front of thousands of attendees. Within minutes, the video of his assassination circulated throughout the world. Charlie, the founder of the organization Turning Point USA (TPUSA), was just 31 years old at the time of his death.
Kirk’s shocking death was mourned by many throughout the country, particularly among political conservatives, who regarded Charlie as a friend and as of one of their most effective and articulate spokesmen. Stories abound of how Charlie encouraged young activists and congratulated them for their work. He always celebrated the success of others in his sphere, without ever viewing them as competitors, and so they, like so many others, grieved.
Events that Charlie Kirk was scheduled to attend continued in his memory, and many included an empty chair to signify his absence.
Leaders in Mourning
Vice President JD Vance, who revealed that Charlie, his close friend, was the reason he received the nomination for the position of Vice President, spoke at the memorial for service held for Charlie on September 21 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
In attendance were nearly all the Trump administration officials, who acknowledged the role Charlie and his organization played in swinging the election towards the Republican Party in the 2024 race. Many members of President Trump’s cabinet spoke about Charlie, including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and others. Kennedy remarked that if not for Charlie, he would not have had the opportunity to join forces with the Trump campaign down the stretch in
the 2024 election, and would not have had the chance to help people today in his role as HHS Secretary.
The speakers described how Charlie advised them regarding staffing and about new initiatives, policies, and different ways to tackle issues. He was responsible for holding much of the coalition together despite the inevitable internal divisions. Charlie’s hand constantly felt the pulse of this country’s youth. He knew what they were thinking and helped the Trump Administration address their concerns.
The memorial’s penultimate speaker was Charlie’s widow, Erika Kirk, who delivered what some consider one of the most moving speeches of this century, in which she said she forgives her husband’s killer. Soon afterward, in accordance with Charlie’s wishes, Erika was named the head of TPUSA, carrying the torch forward in her husband’s memory.
The final speech was delivered by the President Trump. Reports came out after Charlie’s death that the normally stoic Trump, who has himself survived a number of assassination attempts, was shaken by Charlie’s murder. He had been in a meeting when the news of the shooting broke, and VP Vance ran into the room to inform the President. Trump asked everyone to leave.
In his speech, the President lauded the way Charlie genuinely loved those he disagreed with and wished the best for them.
Much has been written about Charlie’s tireless activism, his ambition, his talents, and his values.
He got married early, had children, and was always positive and upbeat. He was committed to the effort to unite a divided nation, reaching out to those he disagreed with and striving to bring people together. He had very fond feelings toward Jews, spoke out against anti-Semitism, and was a vocal supporter of the State of Israel. His sixth and final book, set to be released in December, is entitled, Stop, in the Name of Gd: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life. In it he speaks of his own experience observing a sort of “Sabbath,” staying off his phone every Saturday, a practice which he emphatically urged everyone to take on. He avoided destructive and addictive habits such as drinking, smoking, and drugs. He left this world at the age of 31 with a sterling reputation and a magnificent legacy.
Personally, I find many aspects of Charlie’s work deeply inspiring – worth reflecting on, internalizing, and applying to our own lives.”
Impacting the World
Charlie Kirk founded TPUSA at the age of 18. Since then, in just 13 years, he built a multimillion dollar operation, held thousands of events, debated hundreds of students from the entire political spectrum, wrote six books, got married, had two children, helped swing an
important election and form a political coalition, staffed the incoming administration, and maintained a network of disparate voices in the political arena to bring them under a common banner.
The lesson? One individual does, in fact, have the capacity to impact the world.
I am reminded of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s famous saying: “Do you want to change the world? Start by changing yourself.”
The self is a good starting point for change. If we look out at the world and know that we can have a meaningful impact upon it, we need to work on ourselves and build the skills necessary to make a difference.
Charlie never stopped learning. Many friends and coworkers said that he was not an especially strong debater or public speaker at 18. But he wanted to persuade audiences, so he developed these talents. He threw himself into the arena, confronting college students, many of whom were radically opposed to his views, eventually emerging as one of the most talented political debaters of our time. By changing and improving himself, he was able to change the world.
As Jews, we of course believe that Hashem brought us into the world because He knows we have the ability to impact it. If we look for opportunities to make a difference, and we are prepared to invest the time and effort to do so, placing our trust in Hashem’s assistance, then we will succeed.
Building Something Bigger Than Ourselves
Charlie Kirk helped stitch together a massive Republican coalition in 2024. He was a master builder in many ways, such as through finding common ground. There were numerous disagreements among Donald Trump’s supporters, but Charlie was able to keep them together by focusing on the issues that really mattered and the concerns that were shared by all the various subgroups.
In order to do this, one must look beyond himself, and see the larger picture. If a person insists on all his specific preferences and styles, he will not succeed in building something large. To get people on board, one must articulate a broad vision that they can all share, one which allows room for many different voices. Whatever project one seeks to launch, he needs to prioritize the vision over his personal tastes so he can bring in many different types of people with a common goal which they work together passionately to realize.
Standing Up for Our Beliefs
With the alarming rise of anti-Semitism that followed the October 7th attacks, many of us asked ourselves what the preferred course of action was – to hide our Jewishness, to cower, for the sake of avoiding the risk of “ending up on the news” or “getting into trouble,” or to stand tall and proud.
Charlie Kirk taught us by example to fearlessly stand up for our beliefs with confidence and resolve. A mob is a tool of cowards. It is better to speak up than to let others shout at us with our heads down.
This isn’t just about Israel. If you’re a college student, and you hear something from a professor, it is better to argue and stand up for your beliefs. If your coworker has an idea and you have an opposing idea, talk it out. Don’t be afraid. Like Charlie showed, you will get better at standing up for your beliefs the more you do it. So don’t cower and hide at the first signs of adversity. Do your homework. Research. Study about what you believe, and learn the counterarguments so you could effectively refute them. The Gemara presents and analyzes all opinions, even those which are ultimately dismissed, because this process sharpens the mind and clarifies the final conclusion. The more we read, learn, study and analyze the subjects that are important to us, the more firmly we will embrace our convictions and the more effectively we will be able to defend them.
Charlie Kirk’s journey challenges us to live with conviction and clarity. He showed that courage and consistency can elevate ordinary efforts into extraordinary impact. As we reflect on his legacy, may we find the strength to speak up, to lead, and to leave our own mark of light in the world.