On the Tree of Life Congregation Shooting

It is painful to put into words our collective thoughts after learning about the tragedy yesterday on Shabbat morning at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. It could have been any one of the thousands of other shuls the world over. To think that someone would have that much hatred in them to walk up and murder innocent people gathering to pray and celebrate together is incomprehensible.

I have friends who grew up at this synagogue in Pittsburgh, who were married there, had Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies there, and more. As Rhonda wrote last night, we will continue to work as a congregation to remain our true, welcoming selves as we pride ourselves on being, while still being fervently vigilant about security.

It is wistful and ironic that on the morning we learn from our Patriarch Abraham about the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim, welcoming in guests and strangers into our Jewish communities and our lives, such a horrendous thing would occur. However, in a moment like this, our Torah reminds us that we must continue to come together and still be as welcoming as possible.

It defies human comprehension to witness today's attacks on people at prayer as they rejoiced in the welcoming of a new child into the world. Yesterday’s Torah reading also taught us the story of Sodom and Gomorrah that a society was destroyed because "the earth was filled with violence." Too often we have seen hatred in the heart become hatred in the hands. We all need to stand together—left and right, black and white and brown, blue and red, people of all faiths and no particular faith—to affirm our intolerance of hatred on any side.

We should heed the lesson of Rabbi Akiva, whose parable of the fox and fishes reminds us never to leave our “natural habitat”, to proudly and publicly continue practicing our Judaism, despite the attempts of those who would try to defeat us. Only by continuing to gather fearlessly to pray, to study Torah, and to work for justice in the world, will we stand up against hate and those trying to defeat us.

As a sign of solidarity, we are asking for anyone capable to join us this coming Shabbat morning. It is our scheduled Military Shabbat at Agudas where we recognize those who have defended or are currently defending our freedom. It is appropriate that we use this moment in time to come together as a community to both appreciate those who defend us as well as showing that we will not give into the hatred and anti-Semitism in our world. In addition to joining us at services this coming Shabbat, there is also going to be a community-wide Memorial Service on Tuesday at 7 PM at Temple Beth-El. I hope many of you can join us then as well. Please be on the lookout for more details in the coming hours and days.

B’Shalom.

Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham