"We value voices that respect others, and believe that sharing our values and wisdom can lead us to act for the good of all" - the URI Charter
Our hearts break with the news of the attack on the Tree of Life Or L'Simcha Synagogue in Pittsburgh, USA. We weep for the families and friends of the victims. And we stand in love and solidarity with our Jewish sisters and brothers in the face of this horrific act of anti-Semitic violence.
The United Religions Initiative global community condemns this and all acts of hate. In our Charter, we state, "We value voices that respect others, and believe that sharing our values and wisdom can lead us to act for the good of all."
In a climate in which the violence of vitriolic and hate-filled speech is becoming normalized, acts of violence born of prejudice are the direct result of such dehumanizing rhetoric and the division that it creates. Today's violence, like other incidents of racially and politically motivated violence in the United States in the past weeks, and similar incidents happening around the world every day, remind us of the urgency of our work to confront prejudice and counter hate, as we create cultures of peace, justice, and healing in our communities and in our world.
The Rev. Victor H. Kazanjian, Jr.
Executive Director of the United Religions Initiative
