Only hours ago another deadly day of terror came to a terrible end and four innocent Jews paid with their lives while shopping for Shabbat along with multiple others who were left injured including the several brave policemen. This attack comes in the wake and may be connected to the despicable terror attack on the offices of the famous French Satirical Magazine which left nine innocent journalists and three policemen people dead.
Unfortunately for weeks French Jews have been experiencing different kind of attacks including three shooting attacks on Jewish Centers, fire bombings, assaults and other forms of attacks. Today’s event along with the events of the last few days, obviously went much further and ended with a terrible loss of life and has shaken the Jewish community and much of France to the core.
Europe needs to realize that this runs much deeper than Freedom of Expression, this is about the right to live and the rights of Jews, Journalists, Policemen and other innocents to be able to live, without fear of being attacked. Freedom of expression is a very important journalistic value, but it pales in comparison to the Freedom to Live! The French People,
Europeans and others in the Free World, need to stand together and condemn these attacks not just to defend the Freedom of Expression, but even more so to defend the Freedom to Live without being attacked for your faith or statements.
France needs to make sure that rallies in which tens of thousands marched through the streets of Paris calling for the extermination of Jews and attack Jews, and Jewish owned stores and Synagogues, are banned and cracked down on. Violent radicalism and incitement to violence has no place in any sane society and unless it is viewed upon in this manner there is no way of stopping it.
The Parisian Community began Shabbat as this deadly attack was in its final moments and several large synagogues remained closed tonight by orders of the authorities. This afternoon as we prepare to welcome in the Shabbat with the Lights of the Shabbat Candles, let us stand in solidarity together with France and its Jewish Community and let us pray for the victims and the wounded and pray and hope that France has the wisdom to deal wisely with this situation and make brave and morally correct decisions in how to move forward.
To read more about today's events click here.
Candle Lighting in Sudburyis 4:13pm.
Please join us at Shabbat Services tomorrow morning which are dedicated to the Jewish Community in France! 10:30am - 12:00pm