Today in the News: ATTACK AT JERUSALEM’S GAY PRIDE PARADE

THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER WASHINGTON AND THE JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL OF GREATER WASHINGTON ARE APPALLED BY TODAY’S HATE CRIME AT JERUSALEM’S GAY PRIDE PARADE

Washington, DC –The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) are outraged by the stabbing attack that injured 6 Israelis at the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade. One woman was critically wounded, two men were moderately wounded and another three people were lightly injured. We wish them all a speedy recovery.

Police confirmed that the suspected stabber is a Jewish man from Modiin Ilit, who was recently released from prison after serving a 10-year sentence for stabbing three participants at the 2005 Gay Pride march.

This hate crime was widely condemned by Israeli leaders across the political and religious spectrum. The Minister of Education, Naftali Bennett, called this an “unforgivable moral crime. The perpetrator damaged Jewish and moral values. We must conduct self-evaluation (chesbon nefesh) to understand how we got here.”

The JCRC and The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington condemn this act of senseless violence and affirm our commitment to tolerance, inclusion and acceptance, based on the fundamental Jewish precept that we are all created B’tzelem Elokim (in the image of G-d).

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.