Conservative Rabbis Mourn the Loss of an American Tourist, Stand with Israel in Combatting Terrorism

NEW YORK – Following reports of a wave of terror attacks in Israel on Tuesday in Jerusalem, Jaffa and Petah Tikva, the Rabbinical Assembly, the international association for Conservative/Masorti rabbis, released the following statement:

We mourn the loss of Taylor Force, the American tourist who was murdered at the young age of only 29-years-old. May his family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and of Jerusalem and may his memory be a blessing. We also pray for a refuah shlemah of all the victims injured.

World leaders, especially Palestinian leaders, must condemn these abhorrent attacks and stand together in the fight against terrorism. We must not sit idly by while Israel is facing such senseless violence. As the Prophet Isiah teaches, ‘For the sake of Zion will I not hold my peace and for the sake of Jerusalem will I not rest, Until her justice shines bright and her salvation like a flaming torch’ (Isaiah 62:1).

We stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel as she seeks security and peace, and with the efforts to combat these sort of horrific attacks.