Statement of Agudath Israel of America on Murder During a Shabbos Service in a Pittsburgh Synagogue

Statement of Agudath Israel of America on Murder During a Shabbos Service in a Pittsburgh Synagogue

The murder of eleven people during a Shabbos service this morning in a Pittsburgh synagogue is a horrific tragedy and an outrage.  Our deepest sympathies go out to the mourning families and friends of the victims who were targeted because they were Jews. We extend our deepest  gratitude to the law enforcement personnel who arrived at the scene and captured the murderer. We  also thank law enforcement across the country who are ramping up security measures around houses of worship.

There  are simply no words of condemnation that can truly express our anguish and disgust at the perpetrator of this hate-fueled act or others like it. Any platform or group, including those on social media,  that serves to stir up and metastasize bigotry and anti-Semitic hatred, needs to be called out and shut down for incitement of violence. Until all Americans confront the horror of anti-Semitism head on, our great Democracy will not have achieved its promise.


May those who were injured in today's senseless violence  have a speedy and complete recovery from their wounds.

Agudah launches "The Yom Hashishi Torah Video Series"

When describing Hashem completion of creation, the Torah says, “vayehi erev vayehi boker yom Hashishi - And it was evening and it was morning The sixth day.” Why the emphasis of The Sixth Day an emphasis given to no other of the seven days of creation?
Rashi quotes the famous chazal that explains that although Hashem seemingly finished creating the world, the creation wasn’t fully stable. Creation was conditional on a key component - Torah which would be given on THE sixth day, the sixth day of Sivan, more than 2000 years later. And, once the Torah was given, creation is dependent on its study. As long as Torah is studied every second of time, the world continues to exist as a result.
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The Yom Hashishi series is dedicated to those who study the daf every day and their wives and families who support them. With self-sacrifice and dedication, no matter if it’s 10 below zero or 104 degrees, no matter if its raining or snowing or if they’re traveling or busy, the Daf must get learned.  They learn with candles during hurricanes and little reading lamps of airplanes busses and trains. Some wake up at 4:00 AM and some stay up till 2:00 AM. It doesn’t matter how when or where, they learn The Daf.