Members of Lancaster and Lakes Jewish Community were understandably very concerned by the events in Texas over the weekend, when four Jewish synagogue congregants were taken hostage during the Shabbat service at Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas. The hostages were eventually freed. The perpetrator was a Muslim man from Blackburn who was shot dead by the security services after a 10 hour standoff, and we realise that this incident will be as difficult for the local Muslim community as it is for ourselves. We wanted to write to the Communities Together group to remind us all that there is more that unites us than that which divides us, and to reach out to the local Muslim community to offer our solidarity as Jews at this difficult time.
And thanks to Ian Ashton, Community Cohesion Officer, for his support now and always.
