WITH CONDOLENCES AND SADNESS

In the aftermath of the horrifying, murderous attack on the congregants of the Tree of Life Synagogue, I offered  my condolences and prayers to the victims and the congregants and the community, as I know you do as well.

A friend wrote me out of her pain and I responded:

"Like you, I am sickened by what happened in Squirrel Hill this morning, by the further terrorist acts of this mad bomber this week, by President Trump’s response suggesting that what’s “needed” are more guns — in schools and, now, in synagogues — while his Secretary of Homeland Security is at the Mexican border to 'protect' America from an 'invasion' by 1,000 beset Hondurans/Nicaraguans. President Trump, with the acquiescence of his sycophants, has unleashed the darkness, and though his comments today at another rally were wholly appropriate, I don't believe that he has a clue of where to look to find the light."

Too many, too many Jews, for reasons known only to them, have chosen to ignore what has been and is happening right in front of our eyes, on our own streets, in Charlottesville, now in our own synagogues, turning away from the anger and hate spewed out at every rally, a daily dose of vituperation toward the press, the media, the "other." Hell, it wasn't about us, was it? 

We thought what has now happened to us, could only happen in Paris or Brussels or London -- somewhere else but never here. Yet here it is. 

Friends, we have forgotten Pastor Niemoller's admonition and Santayana's maxim: those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.  We are a People committed to "never forgetting" and, yet, too many of us have forgotten. We must commit to finding the means to ending the incitement, wherever and whenever we see it.

I despair even as I know that we, as a People, as a Jewish People in America, are strong, stronger than we have ever been -- but only if we can find our unity, only if we can find that unity. Who will rally us? How will he or she do so? Where will we find the words, the actions to rally our partners of all religions and races to join in common cause?

We must commit that we shall never forget those who perished today gathered in a synagogue in Pittsburgh while celebrating Shabbat and a bris -- perished at the hands of a virulent anti-semitic home grown terrorist. 

We are already late.

Rwexler