UCC leader offers prayers, words of grief and solidarity following Congregation Chabad shooting

Following the Saturday shooting at a California synagogue, the latest incident of terrorism by a white supremacist, the Rev.Traci Blackmon offers the following words of witness:

On the last day of Passover (Pesach), we once again are reminded of the virulent effect of hatred unleashed. We are reminded that words are not inanimate. We are reminded that words have power and hateful words are can fuel deadly actions. On this day that should be a day of holy celebration for our Jewish kindred, once again, we issue words that are too many, and yet not enough to shield our kindred from hatred made lethal upon gathered communities of faith.

This time we offer these words of grief and solidarity to Congregation Chabad in the aftermath of today’s deadly and harmful attack, and we mourn the brokenness of those so distanced from love that they carry out such acts with increasing frequency.

As we continue to mourn the bombings in Sri Lanka, the massacre at the Christchurch mosque in New Zealand, and the burning of black churches in Louisiana, and the murders at Tree of Life Synagogue just six months ago, we grieve anew today. We grieve with the families and community of those who are dead and those who are wounded, both physically and emotionally today. We grieve the violation of another sacred space of worship. We decry the targeting of the Jewish community with hateful, cowardly, and murderous acts.

We offer not only our prayers, but our presence in the continuing fight against anti-semitism in all of its forms. We commit to deep listening to our Jewish siblings to hear what you need to reclaim your God – given right to live, worship, work, and play free from harm. And we will continuing striving for a Just world for all, in praxis and in prayer until the liberation of Passover dwells among us all.

Hate will not win.
Love will always be Greater.