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24 April 2015
THE JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL OF GREATER WASHINGTON & THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER WASHINGTON OFFER CONDOLENCES
TO THE FAMILY OF DR. WARREN WEINSTEIN
Washington, DC –The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington (JCRC) and The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington were deeply saddened to learn today of the previously classified information surrounding the tragic death of a member of our community, Dr. Warren Weinstein, who was accidentally killed in a U.S. drone strike targeting al Qaeda in Pakistan in January, 2015. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family. Dr. Weinstein served as an American aid worker in Pakistan and was kidnapped in 2011 just 4 days before his assignment with U.S. AID was set to end. He had been held hostage by Al Qaeda in Pakistan when he was accidentally killed along with an Italian hostage, Giovanni Lo Porto. Their loss is a loss for us all.
Dr. Weinstein was a loving husband, father, and grandfather who willingly left the comforts of his home to help the Pakistani people build a better life for themselves. He was the embodiment of our Jewish value of Tikun Olam, repairing the world.
As President Obama said this morning in a press conference: “There could be no starker contrast between these two selfless men and their Al Qeada captors. Warren’s work benefitted people across faiths, meanwhile Al Qeada boasted it held Warren citing his Jewish faith.” Dr. Weinstein’s death is a reminder of the unrelenting brutality of terrorism and the danger it poses to the free world.
We grieve together with Dr. Weinstein’s wife Elaine, his daughters, Alisha and Jennifer, and their families. May his memory be for a blessing.
The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington is the public affairs and community relations arm of the Jewish community representing Jewish organizations and synagogues throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The JCRC focuses on government relations, Israel advocacy, inter-group relations, and social justice.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington is a community-building organization that cares for those in need, deepens Jewish engagement and creates connections among Jews locally, in Israel and around the world.