After mass shooting at a Pennsylvania synagogue killed 11 people Saturday, local leaders sent sympathy to the victims and spoke of safety concerns and precautions for those in the area.
Durham, N. C. — After mass shooting at a Pennsylvania synagogue killed 11 people Saturday, local leaders sent sympathy to the victims and spoke of safety concerns and precautions for those in the area.
Leslie Winner, vice president of the Beth El Synagogue in Durham, said it was a frightening time for everyone and an especially vulnerable time for the Jewish community.
“The overtly anti-Semitic incidents have increased so dramatically in the last two years and really more than any time I can remember in my life,” Winner said. “I did not expect to see this kind of anti-Semitic attack in the Unites States, and that feels very frightening.”
Gov. Roy Cooper released a statement, saying that the “freedom to live and worship without fear is an essential right in America, and the horrific shooting in Pittsburgh strikes at the very heart of our country’s greatness.
“Our hearts break for the victims and families who were gathered on Shabbat and for the officers who fell victim to this savage attack,” he continued. “We must fight anti-Semitism and intolerance and stop the hatred that leads to violence.”
The Jewish Federation of Raleigh-Cary also released a statement. It said that its Secure Community Network Alert System monitors security situations and links to Jewish community organizations.
“It sends accurate security information to the leaders of those organizations and helps ensure that the right people are informed immediately,” the statement said. “We will update you as this grave situation unfolds.”
Raleigh police officers came to Beth Meyer Synagogue for Sabbath services Saturday morning. The department said the officers were off-duty.
