Dear Temple Beth El Community,
We write to express our sympathy and solidarity with Beth Israel Congregation, a synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi, which was targeted in an antisemitic arson attack over the weekend. While, thankfully, no one was injured, the damage to their building was significant, including the destruction of two Torah scrolls and damage to others.
Beth Israel is also home to the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL), an organization with which our community shares a deep and meaningful connection. Temple Beth El was honored to host the ISJL Board of Directors for Shabbat earlier this fall, and many among us have learned from, partnered with, and been inspired by their work strengthening Jewish life across the South.
Beth Israel Congregation is not a distant headline or an abstract symbol. For some in our community, Beth Israel was once their synagogue home, where they learned, prayed, celebrated, and connected with one another. It is where children grew up, teachers and students formed lasting bonds, and life’s most meaningful moments unfolded. When Beth Israel was attacked, it was not only a building that was harmed. It was a web of relationships, memories, and belonging that reaches far beyond Jackson.
This attack also reopens a painful history. More than fifty years ago, Beth Israel was bombed for standing publicly for civil rights. Yet again, in the face of hatred, this community has chosen resilience. Beth Israel has made clear its commitment to rebuild and to continue Jewish life, including returning to worship as soon as possible. This is what it has long meant to be Jewish: to refuse erasure and to keep showing up with dignity and resolve.
The impact of an antisemitic attack extends beyond physical damage. It is also psychological and emotional. News like this can stir fear, grief, anger, and vulnerability. Please know that your clergy are here to listen and to support you. If you would like to connect with one of us, you may reach out to Renata Rosenberg, Clergy Assistant.
In moments like this, being in community matters. Gathering in sacred space allows us to reflect together and reminds us that we are not alone. We hope you’ll join us this Friday evening at 6:13pm for Justice Shabbat, as we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through prayer, music, and a sermon from Rabbi Erdheim. During the service, we will hear from volunteers and lay leaders who help carry our justice work forward, sharing why this work matters and how our community continues to stay engaged. We also hope you’ll join us on Saturday morning at 8:30am for a special Shabbat experience at the MLK Parade, beginning with a brief justice-centered Torah Study and worship before marching in the parade.
As always, the safety of our community is our highest priority and is approached with seriousness and care. At Shalom Park, our established security protocols remain firmly in place, including visible security measures and an ongoing law enforcement presence. Security is not a departure from our values. It is an expression of them, and our commitment to your safety is unwavering.
We offer our wholehearted support to the Beth Israel community, to the ISJL, and to Jews in Jackson and beyond. An attack on one Jewish community is felt by the entire Jewish community. For those seeking a way to help, the most impactful support at this time is a financial contribution to the Beth Israel Congregation Rebuilding Fund. Due to the condition of the building, material donations cannot currently be accepted.
May acts intended to silence and erase instead strengthen our resolve, deepen our connections, reaffirm our values, and inspire us to live our Jewish lives with even greater pride and presence.
With care and solidarity,
Rabbi Asher Knight
Cantor Danielle Rodnizki
Rabbi Lexi Erdheim
Rabbi Beth Nichols
Jonathan Friedman, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer
