Dear Temple Israel of Boston Community:

When the ancient Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, there were no words to capture the pain felt in the hearts of the community. They could only give voice to their grief by crying out,  Eicha! -- a Hebrew word that has no translation, an utterance that says, "How can human beings inflict such destruction upon each other? How can our minds fully grasp these events, and hearts withstand this pain?"   

Again, this morning, as news broke of the massacre at the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh, we found ourselves crying out,  Eicha!  As we write these words to you, we do not know so many of the details: the names of the souls whose lives were destroyed; their ages, stories, hopes, dreams. As more information becomes known, we will learn about them and allow our hearts to break again and again with every name that is shared, knowing that every human life is a world, and every life destroyed, a world taken with it. There is so much we just don't know.

However, we do know that this was an act motivated by pure hatred of Jews.  While most of us cannot fathom the grief that families of the deceased are experiencing, we are all obliged to recognize viscerally that this was an attack on every Jew on the face of the earth.  This was also an attack on all immigrants, as the suspect targeted his hate speech toward HIAS, one of our foremost Jewish partner organizations supporting refugees and asylum seekers.

We also know that there are victims of today's mass shooting who are still fighting for their lives in the hospital, as well as many others who have suffered psychological injuries from the trauma of this event.  To all who are fighting for their lives, who are wounded physically, mentally, and spiritually, we offer our wholehearted prayers for healing and resilience.

Tomorrow afternoon, at 12:00 p.m., immediately following Religious School, we will gather in the Levi Auditorium of Temple Israel of Boston for a Prayer Service of Grief and Solidarity: Grief, for all of those who have been murdered, who are wounded, and who are heartbroken; Solidarity, because no act of terror will ever divide us from one another, nor weaken our resolve to heal this shattered world.  All are welcome to attend, and parents will, of course, decide for themselves whether they would like their children to be present with them.  We will also update our Facebook page with information regarding solidarity gatherings with the broader Jewish and/or interfaith community.

To those who have asked about our own security measures, please know that we are working with various security partners, including the Boston Police and the Boston Regional Intelligence Center.  The safety of our community is our utmost concern, and our security reflects the utmost expertise.

Within the minutes and hours following the shooting, we, your clergy, all received calls and emails from so many Christian and Muslim faith leaders with whom we partner to make our society more loving and compassionate.  They all expressed their grief and their solidarity with all of us, a reminder that we are not alone.  We are a part of a mighty force for good in this world - an army of love that is stronger than hate.  Although this is no consolation for the loss suffered today, it is the truth that we must cling to, as we grieve, together.

With Broken Hearts and Emboldened Love,

The Clergy of Temple Israel of Boston