The pain of Pittsburgh is still raw, and I feel it often while sitting in meetings about safety in our community and how we continue to live our Jewish lives despite the threat of antisemitism. Today, I feel this pain in particular for the Muslim community. The vicious massacre in New Zealand hurts me as a person of faith and a lover of humanity, and I weep this morning in solidarity with the Muslim community. You may remember that Imam Nabil Bayakly came to our shul on the morning of the Tree of Life shooting in order to show his support. I reached out to Imam Nabil this morning, and I wanted to share my note with all of you.
Imam Nabil,
I read the news this morning with tremendous sadness and anger as I saw what had happened in New Zealand. I weep for you, your community, and Muslims around the world. I am terrified for what this means for people of all faith, that such horrific acts are carried out in sacred places of worship and holiness. Our world should be better than this.
I am reaching out to you in solidarity with you and your community. We are all children of Ibrahim/Abraham, and we’ve become far too familiar with these types of acts of hate. I stand with you, and my community stands with you in the face of all bigotry and acts of violence.
If there are tactical ways that we can show our support, please do let me know. I know how meaningful it was for my community when you came in support of us; please know that we will show up for you. Thinking about you, and praying for better days ahead. Rabbi Sarit
I’ve been in touch with Imam Nabil throughout the morning, and for now, it seems important for them to be able to grieve and pray together in the context of their own community. As I know more details of how we can show our support for and solidarity with the Muslim community here in Memphis, I’ll share it with you.
May the murdered by bound up in the bond of life and held in God’s sheltering presence; may the wounded and traumatized know healing; may we rid our world of bigotry, hatred and supremacy in all forms.
