Mid-Kansas Jewish Federation

Jewish Federations of North America are horrified by the antisemitic terrorist shooting in Australia.

This was a deliberate terrorist act targeting the Jewish community in Sydney as they celebrated the first night of Chanukah and must be loudly and clearly called out as antisemitism.

The security of the Jewish community is the top priority of Jewish Federations across North America. All Federations and their community security initiatives are on full alert for the Chanukah celebrations in their communities, working with all our law enforcement partners.

We mourn those killed in this horrific shooting, send our comforts to their families, and wish a speedy and full recovery to the injured.

Our community will never retreat in the face of hatred, and will never refrain from carrying on our Jewish traditions. Rather, we will use every tool at our disposal to make sure our communities are safe and that our lights burn all the brighter.

Today is a day of hope and, we pray, the beginning of healing for the hostages, their families and all of Israel.
For 738 days, 48 out of 250 people kidnapped from Israel have been held in captivity by Hamas terrorists, in horrific conditions.
Through 18 major Jewish holidays and 105 Shabbat dinners, Jewish families in Israel and around the world had empty chairs at our tables, yellow ribbons on our lapels, and fractures in our hearts.
Each of those 1 million minutes was filled with anguish and uncertainty — wondering if the hostages would live or die, knowing that the Jewish people were incomplete without them.
Our full statement: https://ow.ly/lqVU50XaqHP