New York, NY – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement regarding this weekend’s devastating hate crime and mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA. Gillibrand spent Sunday afternoon with leaders and members of the Jewish community in Brooklyn, NY:
“It is hard to find the words to express how heartbroken and devastated I am. The United States is supposed to be a safe haven for the Jewish people, where you can worship freely and honor the Sabbath without coming under attack. The tragedy at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh is a reminder that we cannot take that for granted, that anti-Semitism is real and it is dangerous, and that we must keep doing everything we can to completely and unequivocally oppose this form — and all forms — of bigotry.
“Yet even in this heartbreaking moment of despair, I am comforted by the resiliency of the Jewish community: You remain devoted to your values and you continue to use them to make our society a better and more just place to live, even in the face of bigotry and violence. I will always stand with you against anti-Semitism and I will continue doing everything in my power to make sure our synagogues are as safe as they are sacred.”