Leiby Kletzky's grieving father put on a brave face to attend Sabbath services yesterday morning - just days after his son's brutal murder.
Nachman Kletzky was too distraught to attend the 8-year-old Brooklyn boy's funeral on Thursday. But he drew strength from the religious services at the Bais Medrash Heichal HaTefillah synagogue near his home in Borough Park, worshipers said.
"He is taking comfort in his belief in God," said a congregation member who greeted the distraught dad at the services.
A woman, who wouldn't give her name because it would violate the Sabbath tradition, said, "There were no tears in his eyes. On the Sabbath, we concentrate on God and don't show our grief."
A few hours later, NYPD investigators hauled away a mattress covered in brown paper from the Kensington home of confessed killer Levi Aron, where he had dismembered the boy.
They later carried out a second mattress and a large, brown paper bag emblazoned with a biohazard sign, which they put in a crime scene van. At the synagogue services, little Leiby's name wasn't mentioned even once because of Orthodox tenets that reserve the day exclusively for prayer.
Kletzky has been attending services three times daily - as is the Orthodox community's tradition - since his son's remains were discovered Wednesday.
He appeared at temple wearing his normal Orthodox clothes instead of the tattered mourning garb he donned all week in keeping with Jewish tradition.
Members of his congregation said their prayers were with Kletzky, even though they couldn't mention little Leiby's name.
"We believe in God, and we have each other. It keeps you from jumping off a building when something this horrible happens," said another member.
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