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The JCRC of Greater Washington Stands with the Community of Charleston at This Time of Tragedy

06/19/2015 02:57:06 PM

Jun19

 

The murders committed in Charleston at the historic Emanuel AME Church and the desecration of the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes at Tabgha reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of the unity of all of G-d's creation. We issue the following statements in response to these heinous crimes:

The JCRC of Greater Washington Stands with the Community of Charleston at This Time of Tragedy

We stand with the people of Charleston, the city's faith community, and the congregants of the Emanuel AME Church today as they confront the most horrific of acts - the hateful slaughter in a holy sanctuary.

We remember the victims of this senseless violence: Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Reverend Clementa Pinckney, Cynthia Hurd, Tywanza Sanders, Myra Thompson, Ethel Lee Lance, Daniel L. Simmons, Rev. Depayne Middleton, and Susie Jackson. May their memories be for a blessing.

The long history of churches as the site of violence against the black community attests to the evil nature of racist extremism. We affirm the sanctity of every life and our commitment to building a just society where every individual is valued and cherished. We affirm our responsibility to pursue justice, work with our coalition partners, and support our law enforcement and justice system to build a better society.

On September 15, 1963, Klu Klux Klan terrorists killed four girls when they bombed the 16th Street Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The Reverend Martin Luther King said: “They died between the sacred walls of the church of God, and they were discussing the eternal meaning of love.” May we all strive to fulfill the commandment of our creator: “To love our neighbor as ourselves.”

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The JCRC of Greater Washington Deplores Attack on Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes at Tabgha

The JCRC of Greater Washington strongly deplores the despicable attack on the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes at Tabgha. We join representatives of the government of Israel

and Israeli religious officials in calling for a swift and thorough investigation leading to the arrest of the perpetrators. Setting fire to a house of worship is in direct opposition to the Israeli commitment to religious tolerance and the Jewish values of honoring the dignity and rights of all. This is an act of “Hillul HaShem” a desecration of G-d’s name and an affront to the entire Jewish community, as well as to civilized people everywhere.

This is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the struggle against extremism, and to reach out to build coalitions with all communities who struggle with their own extremists and to promote tolerance and understanding.

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