We mourn with the community of Charleston by Temple Beth El’s Clergy Team

As a congregation of Temple Beth El, we weep over the death of nine individuals who were murdered in the midst of Bible study in Charleston, South Carolina.

We cry out in pain that a house of prayer and peace was turned into one of violence and bloodshed.

We condemn this crime of hate. Law enforcement said that the gunman made racist comments before shooting. As Jews, who have historically and recently been victims of similar hate crimes, we stand with our African American brothers and sisters in the fight against racism and racial injustice.

Our Reform movement’s youth, led by NFTY President and Beth El teen, Debbie Rabinovich, has made gun violence a central focus of their social justice work. On their website they write, “There are teens our age dying as a result of gun violence. Most people don’t even react when hearing about another school shooting or gang violence in cities. It should never be normal for a teenager to have the threat of gun violence when attending school. It should never be normal for someone to be afraid of walking through his or her own neighborhood.”

“Over thirty-thousand people are shot to death in the United States every year, and we not only have the power to make a difference, but we also have the power to motivate those who believe it is unsolvable. It is our job as a Jewish youth movement to connect our peers to this very serious issue.”

We support our teens in their efforts to end gun violence.

Stolen from this world last night were a gifted Pastor who was a talented State Senator, a devoted library worker, a speech therapist who was a reverend, a Bible study teacher and a recent college graduate. They all worked to better this world. In their memory, may we do the same.

Oseh shalom bimromahv Hu yaaseh shalom… May the One who creates peace in the heavens above, enable us to be the strongest partners possible in bringing about that peace that Charleston, our country, and our world so desperately need.