I am currently in London with family where Shabbat ended and I heard the horrendous news of the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.  It is so terrifying and hard to respond.  It is utterly heartbreaking and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones and the whole Jewish community of Pittsburgh.  These are frightening times in the world. Here, in the British Jewish community, there is very serious concern about antisemitism from the left and the right and we know that there is so much hate and fear in the world.

Obviously a brutal tragedy like this impacts us all and evokes sadness, anger and fear.  We need to be vigilant and cautious and take security seriously and we also need stick together, support each other and hold on to the values that are most precious to us.  We cannot let these hateful acts define us, even while they break our hearts.  In these challenging times, we have to sustain the vision of a nation and a world where our freedoms of expression and practice, whoever we are, are cherished and protected.

I am thinking of you all from afar and sending blessings and love.

Shabbat Shalom/Shavua tov

Rabbi Marc