Breaking news: A pipe bomb has just exploded outside of a Synagogue in Santa Monica in Los Angeles.
The Synagogue is the Chabad House.
I am in South Florida today, but Santa Monica is blocks from my home.
I am friends with the family who run this Synagogue.
This is personal.
Right now I am doing what everybody else is doing…waiting…and praying.
eric
Update II:
Statement by Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin on the Chabad House in S. Monica, CA
“This morning at approximately 8:30 a.m. we received a call from the S. Monica Police Dept. who stated that there may have been a leak or minor incident of some kind near the Chabad House in S. Monica, and that as a precaution, the Chabad House was to be evacuated and the surrounding area sealed off. At 11:00 a.m. this morning we were informed by the Police that the cause of the evacuation was in fact some hazardous waste that was illegally dumped, and subsequently caused a minor incident in a nearby alley. The Chabad House is not suspected at this time to have been targeted in any way or manner. We thank the Police for their security and diligence and are deeply grateful to the thousands of calls and emails from the community, who has been calling us with their concern and support.”
This is why it is very important to wait for facts to come out. This was not an act of terrorism and does not appear to be connected in any way with Judaism.
Thank God for this.
eric
Still, it’s understandable for people to be nervous. Jewish people have always had to keep a sharp eye on everything, all the time. They have been targeted by a wide variety of disparate yet powerful groups for thousands of years. Even here in the “good ol’ US of A.”
It’s wonderful that this seems to have nothing to do with antisemitism, but it remains terribly sad that Jewish people should still, to this day, in this modern republic, have to live in understandable fear.
JMJ