On the Shooting at the Jewish Federation

Dear Friends,
'Sinah Mkalkelet hashurah-Hate destroys the order of life' (from the Talmud). An act of hate descended on our community and left good and innocent people dead and wounded. We mourn the death of Pam Waechter. Pam and I shared a common passion for Jewish outreach and worked on several projects together. She also was a participant this past year in the joint Panim Hadashot-Federation long distance seminar with the Hartman Institute. We have lost a devoted servant of the Jewish community.

We pray for the quick recovery of those injured. We express our solidarity with the staff and volunteers of the Jewish Federation during this time of trial and anguish. We join the voices with the wider Seattle community, which condemn this hate crime and the virulent anti-semitism that feeds it. This is a time for all religious and ethnic communities to come to together to renew an active commitment to tolerance and civil rights. This is a critical time for inter-religious and cross-cultural dialogue to build commitment to a civil and peace loving community. I particularly support efforts for the Jewish and Muslim communities to build stronger relations and to work together to fight hatred.

It is also important to understand the broader significance of this tragedy. One of the by-products of the conflict and the current crisis in the Middle East is a hatred for Israel that spills over into a hatred for Jews. We must not be afraid to confront this hatred and to challenge those who minimize it or deny its significance. This is not a time to put our heads in the sand and hope the problem will go away.

Panim Hadashot is an educational and outreach organization, which is devoted to sharing Judaisms meaning and relevance in the modern world. We are committed to illuminating Judaisms great teachings, whichinspire us to act justly, to enhance Jewish life, and to contribute the betterment of the world. In the coming weeks we will offer opportunities for people in the community to come together for study and dialogue.

Lech Lshalom-Go to Peace,
Rabbi Dov Gartenberg
Panim Hadashot-New Faces of Judaism