The Church Council stands in solidarity with the local and national Jewish community and denounces acts of anti-Semitism. An attack on one because of their religion is an attack on all of us. We share two statements below, one from the Mercer Island Clergy Association specifically about the bomb threat at the Stroum Jewish Community Center, and one from the National Council of Churches regarding anti-semitic incidents throughout the country.
Statement from the Mercer Island Clergy Association regarding the bomb threat at the Stroum Jewish Community Center on Mercer Island:
The Mercer Island Clergy Association (MICA) expresses its support for and solidarity with our Jewish clergy members, the Jewish community of Mercer Island, and in particular with the Stroum Jewish Community Center, in light of the reprehensible bomb threat received there yesterday. Our diverse faiths have in common the conviction that God is a God of love and justice – and that spiritual and moral might are ultimately greater than any bigotry, hatred, violence, or threats. We are united in eschewing all such actions and mentalities – including specifically antisemitism. We resolve never to temporize with nor tolerate it. We trust that faith in and attention to God’s goodness and wisdom will overcome fear and ignorance, and empower us all to advance the cause of equity and strengthen our care for our neighbors, including our Jewish brothers and sisters.
Statement from the National Council of Churches regarding recent anti-Semitic incidents throughout the nation:
The National Council of Churches denounces recent anti-Semitic incidents and condemns rhetoric that has fueled such acts. We stand firmly with our Jewish brothers and sisters during this difficult time. As a community of 38 Christian communions in the United States, the National Council of Churches continues to pray and work for a nation in which all persons may freely worship as they wish without fear. In this, we are not alone.
For months now there has been a sharp rise in threats made against synagogues and Jewish community centers.There have been at least 67 incidents at 56 Jewish Community Centers in 27 states and one Canadian province since the beginning of 2017. This week, bomb threats were called in to Jewish organizations across the nation, and a Jewish cemetery in University City, Missouri, was vandalized.
We are encouraged to see acts of love, moral courage, and solidarity among faith groups in response to these hateful acts. When a mosque in Victoria, Texas, was destroyed by fire in an apparent arson, Jewish leaders from the community gave Muslim leaders the keys to their synagogue. In response to the Jewish cemetery vandalism, Muslims have launched a campaign to raise funds to repair it, more than tripling their goal of $20,000. We encourage churches to reach out to Jewish communities being threatened and offer similar acts of friendship and solidarity.
Anti-Semitism has no place in our society. Eradicating it requires keeping constant vigil. The National Council of Churches is committed to this effort.