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20 November 2014
The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington are Shocked and Outraged by the Massacre in Kehilat Bnei Torah Synagogue in Jerusalem
Washington, DC – The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington are shocked and outraged by the barbaric terrorist attack on innocent Jewish worshippers that took place in Jerusalem earlier today, taking the lives of four civilians and injuring several others, including a police officer who is in critical condition. We offer our condolences to their loved ones and the Israeli people and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. There is no justification for the murdering of innocent civilians.
At 7:00 am on Tuesday morning, November 18, 2014, two Palestinian terrorists wielding meat cleavers, knives and guns entered the Kehillat Bnei Torah building in the ultra-Orthodox Har Nof neighborhood in Jerusalem. They began attacking worshipers, stabbing them before opening fire. Approximately 30 worshipers were in the midst of the morning prayers, wearing talitot and teffilin. The four victims were Rabbis, three of whom were American citizens: Moshe Twersky, 59, Aryeh Kupinsky, 43, Avraham Shmuel Goldberg, 68, and Kalman Levine, 55. Eight civilians were wounded, three seriously and one critically. Police arrived at the scene shortly after the attack began, and shot and killed the two terrorists. According to news reports, the FBI has launched its own investigation of the brutal attack.
We applaud Secretary Kerry’s condemnation of the attack: “People who had come to worship God in the sanctuary of a synagogue were hatched and hacked and murdered in that holy place in an act of pure terror and senseless brutality and murder… To have this kind of act, which a pure result of incitement is unacceptable… Palestinian leaders must begin to take serious steps to restrain any kind of incitement that comes from their language, other people’s language and exhibit the kind of leadership that is necessary to put this region on a different path.”
We call upon leaders throughout the world to condemn this heinous terror attack on innocent civilians.
The JCRC and Jewish Federation of Greater Washington remain in close contact with local law enforcement to help ensure the safety of our community.
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.
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