In response to the Shabbat attack on Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life – Or L’Simcha Congregation, which has been described by Jewish leaders as the deadliest attack on Jews in the history of the United States, the following message has been sent by Rabbi Menachem Margolin, director of the RCE and chairman of the EJA:
“We are brokenhearted, and we bow our heads together with Pittsburgh’s Jewish community, after eleven of its members were murdered during Shabbat services. We European Jews sometimes look at Jewish communities in the United States with great hope, as we see the relative peace they enjoy most of the time, while our Jewish centers and synagogues must be protected by armed guards, and while anti-Semitism is increasing throughout the European continent.

“Thus, we were shocked when we heard, just after Shabbat ended, about the senseless massacre in Pittsburgh’s Or L’Simcha Congregation. Undoubtedly, public discourse in America has grown increasingly poisonous. All too often we, the Jewish people, serve as a target for hatred, prejudice and murder. We of the EJA send our sincere condolences to everyone who was affected by this attack, and we are prepared to reach out to the United States Jewish communities with advice and assistance in any way we can during these extremely difficult times.”