Today's tragedy, all over the news and in everybody's heart is the mass shooting in the synagogue in Pittsburgh. It was a Refugee Shabbat acknowledging HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Assistance Society) Which has been around forever. Jews are always strangers in the land of Egypt so the community has supported many immigrant activities.
The reason that the murderer went to the synagogue was that they were celebrating a HIAS shabbat. Which I haven't heard before, it's not like it's a huge established thing. But a lot of congregations are featuring HIAS and its activities this week.
Dennis said "I've heard of HIAS, that it does good things." We've recently joined a Reform Jewish congregation and they had a HIAS shabbat last night. We went because it celebrated refugees. We went to the HIAS Shabbat last night. Very low key, the program other than a shortened service was a young woman from Bosnia whose family had been supported 25 years ago by Jewish Family Service. And a young man from Burma who has been working with HIAS and Jewish Faimily Service. Both emphasized their gratitude to HIAS and other resettlement agencies who helped them get a start in their new home.
I can't say it enough, we were at a HIAS shabbat last night. They asked that you bring a new coat to be given out by JFS. We did that.
So this morning a synagogue held a HIAS shabbat. And this guy came wit 4 guns and killed 11 people. It was because of the HIAS / Immigrant theme. He stated online that he listened to Donald Trump's rhetoric of the caravan traveling through Mexico as invaders.
He couldn't stand for that so he shot up a synagogue. Politicians with hateful rhetoric must MUST take responsibility for the hate activities that their words incite.
--For you were strangers in the land of Egypt-- in mitzrayim, that narrow place.
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