Voices from the interfaith community

From: Mufti Ikram ul Haq, Resident Imam, Masjid Al-Islam, N. Smithfield R.I.

On behalf of Muslim community of R.I. and Muslims of North America, I offer our deepest condolence for the families of victims of hate-motivated shooting at Kansas Jewish center.

Our thoughts and prayers go out for the victims and families of this tragic shooting at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City. Extremism and hate-motivated actions have no place in our society. We stand in solidarity with Jewish brothers and sisters and people of other faith traditions in challenging hate and intolerance that feeds these acts of violence. 

We pray that the perpetrator/s of this heinous act of violence is swiftly served justice.

From: Rev. Dr. Don Anderson, Executive Minister, R.I. State Council of Churches on April 14:

While Jews around the world sit down to Seder meals tonight to reflect on their liberation from 400 years of slavery, one more potent reminder that evil of anti-Semitism is alive will be in everyone’s thoughts. The shootings in Kansas on Sunday afternoon are an affront to all people of peace and goodwill. The Rhode Island State Council of Churches wishes to express our condolences to the families of the three people who died. We also join with the Jewish community in solidarity to continue to work towards greater understanding and peace here in Rhode Island. Just last week the Rhode State Council of Churches issued a statement in support of an op-ed in the Providence Journal entitled: “Drop anti-Semitism from public discourse.”    

As we work together on increasing understanding and care in the Rhode Island Community let us do so remembering the words of St. Paul to the Christians in Rome:  “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  (Romans 12:21 – NRSV)