We in ALEPH grieve as we navigate the riptide of emotions that follow the murder and attempted murder of our sisters and brothers in Poway. We stand in solidarity with the Poway Chabad Congregation, and mourn in deep in sorrow for the injuries and loss of life perpetrated by yet another ideologically motivated murderer.

When the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory, was teaching in one of his Sichos about the evil of violence and the sin of raising one’s hand to commit violence, he reminded all of us that a person’s hand was created to do acts of tzedakah (charity) and kindness, not for violence. To use the gift of having hands that were given to us for kindness in the service of violence, is a sin against both people and God.

We in ALEPH stand with fellow Jews and good people everywhere in abhorrence of the increasing eruption of virulent racist, anti-Muslim, anti-Christian and anti-Jewish hatred, and horrific violence directed against innocents. We abhor and reject the xenophobia that is fueling these global violent attacks. We stand with people everywhere who recommit to lives of compassion and kindness, welcoming the stranger, caring for the vulnerable, and lifting up goodness. To this end we dedicate our work.

-Rabbi Marcia Prager, Dean of the ALEPH Ordination Program