Standing in Solidarity with Jacksonville’s Black Community

Dear Friends: 

In the Wake of Tragic Violence, We Stand United Against the Forces of Racism and Hate

The Jewish community of Palm Beach County is devastated by the news of the mass shooting in Jacksonville, Florida that targeted the black community.  The perpetrator was motivated by a toxic blend of white supremacy, anti-Black racism, and antisemitism, as evidenced by his hate-filled manifestos and the swastikas painted on his firearm.

This act of violence is part of a disturbing pattern stretching from Charlottesville and Pittsburgh to Buffalo and now Jacksonville. These threads of hate are woven from the same cloth of extremism and are increasingly emboldened by divisive rhetoric and the amplification of hate speech on social media platforms.

We are profoundly saddened for the victims, Angela Michelle Carr, Anolt Joseph Laguerre Jr. and Jarrald De’Shaun Gallion and their families and all black Americans, who are once again shattered by hate.  There must be accountability for those who fan the flames of this deadly extremism.

In these difficult times, we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the black community. The forces that seek to divide us are the same forces that seek to destroy us, and it is only through unity and collective action that we can hope to prevail.

We are committed to being active allies in the struggle against all forms of hate and will continue our work to foster a society where such horrific acts are relegated to the annals of history.

In sorrow and solidarity,

Linda Geller-Schwartz, Chair, JCRC
Brett Sandala, Chair Black Jewish Relations Work Group
Josephine Gon, Executive Director, Community Affairs
Jeff Dawson, Associate Director, Jewish Community Relations Council