I share with the Beliefnet community a message I sent to my congregation last night:
The escalating violence in Israel has not escaped anybody’s notice over the past week, beginning with the killing of a Sderot resident by a Hamas-launched rocket, and continuing with responses and counter-responses that have caused great suffering and loss of life on all sides. Earlier today, a Palestinian resident of Jerusalem opened fire in a famous yeshivah in Jerusalem, murdering eight and wounding nine more. As human beings, our heart breaks for the loss of innocent life on both sides of the conflict. As Jews, our heart breaks for the Land of Israel and the violence that threatens to overwhelm it. We mourn with the victims and add our prayers that peace will soon come to the land of Israel and all who live there.
May God spread out a shelter of peace over us, over all Israel, over all who dwell on earth, and over Jerusalem.