Contact: Max Rosenblum or Jacob Kraus
202.387.2800 | news@rac.org
Washington, D.C., March 9, 2016 – In response to several violent attacks that have taken place over the past day in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Petah Tikva, Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement:
Yesterday afternoon and this morning brutal attacks in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Petah Tikva have left over 10 Israelis injured and one American – a veteran and graduate student – dead. We mourn the loss of Vanderbilt student Taylor Force and express our condolences to his family and his community. We pray as well for the healing of all those injured and for the strength they, their families and all Israelis living with the threat of daily terror so desperately need. These attacks that push the prospect of a peaceful future further and further away must end. The Palestinian leadership must condemn them in no uncertain terms and do their utmost to prevent the ongoing violence that continues to put lives at risk. Our hearts are in the east today as we express solidarity with Israel in its pursuit of peace and security, and we hope that Vice President Biden can help to calm tensions during his visit to the region.
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The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism is the Washington office of the Union for Reform Judaism, whose nearly 900 congregations across North America encompass 1.5 million Reform Jews, and the Central Conference of American Rabbis, whose membership includes more than 2,000 Reform rabbis. Visit www.rac.org for more.