Condolences to France as the Jewish World Mourns
The Australian Prime Minister and the Jewish community through the Executive Council of Australian Jewry have sent condolences to the French community following the tragic murders of three Jewish children and one of their teachers in Toulouse.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has sent the following message: “The Australian Government condemns in the strongest terms the murders earlier today of four people – a Rabbi, two of his children, and a student – at a Jewish school in Toulouse, France. Another student was seriously wounded.
Under French law, this is an act of terrorism, and under the law of humanity, this is an act of irredeemable evil.
Our sympathies go out to the families of those who were murdered; to the Jewish community of France, which has unfortunately suffered previous acts of terrorism in France; and to the French people, who are all searching for answers in the face of such a tragedy.
We share their resolve that those responsible for this crime, and other hate crimes that have occurred recently in France, will be brought to swift and certain justice.”
President Dr Danny Lamm and executive director Peter Wertheim wrote:
Photo: Courtesy collive.com
“On behalf of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the peak national body representing the Australian Jewish community, and personally, we write to convey to you and to our brothers and sisters in the French Jewish community our shock and disgust on learning of yesterday’s heinous murders of three innocent Jewish children and one of their teachers after a gunman opened fire outside Ozar Hatorah secondary college.
We mourn the victims, Rabbi Jonathan Sandler, Gabriel Sandler (age 4), Arieh Sandler (age 5) and Miriam Monsonego (age 7). Our thoughts go out also to the fourth child who was seriously injured and whom we pray will make a full and speedy recovery.
There can be little doubt that the victims were targeted because they were Jewish, and for no other reason. That such a disgraceful crime should occur in Europe, with its dark history of genocide never far below the surface, demonstrates what a poisonous and lethal force antisemitism continues to be.
We join our voices with that of the president of the Conference of European Rabbis, Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, in calling for the perpetrator or perpetrators to be apprehended and brought to justice quickly, and for appropriate security measures to be put in place at all Jewish institutions in Europe to ensure the safety of European Jewry.
To the bereaved families of the victims we convey our deepest sympathies and we wish them long life. May they be comforted among the mourners of Zion.”
Chabad.org reported: “The children were waiting for a bus to take them to the Chabad-Lubavitch–run Gan Rashi elementary school.”
“The whole community is anxious and on edge,” reported Rabbi Haim Hilel Matusof of Jeunesse Lubavitch-Beth Habad Toulouse, a Chabad Jewish center in the city.
“That school is on a little street in a calm area. There’s no sign, and it’s a very secure place. He had to know it was a Jewish school.”
My deepest condolences to the jewish family.
I also could cry, when I heard and saw the speech of the brother of one of the murdered children.
I will never forget this emotional vieuw and I specially wish him all the power and strenght.
What can people hurt each other a lot, it is terrible and unbelieveble.
When the report of the murder of Jews became known, there was only speculation that the same terrorist was responsible for three other murders. Now that it is known that the French with roots in Algeria was responsible for the murder of Jews and Black French soldiers a condemnation of the attacks on Blacks and an expression of condolence to their families and the French nation would indeed be appropriate. It would also be appropriate to point out that the murdered French soldiers were singled out because they were Black and to highlight the point that for all rants about Jewish racism, jihadis are as happy to murder Blacks in France as they were in Libya and as they are in Sudan. It is also appropriate to keep in mind, that there is something particularly horrible about killing a child. A man who grabs a seven year old and while holding her shoots her dead is a depraved abomination, well deserving execution. And yet, one like him, Samir el Kuntar is a hero in Arab eyes.
Yes Alex I,m sure the families of the soldiers would be grieving for the Rabbi and Jewish families
A mention and condolences for three French soldiers allegedly killed by the same person would have been nice as well.
A totally pointless and hideous crime against humanity.
My heart breaks hearing this news.
Attacks on people and communities because of their minority status or difference is always unacceptable and must not be tolerated.
Education and government support to fight ignorance and advocate understanding and inclusion is imperative.
My thoughts are with the survivors and families of the victims.
Michael.
Yes, I heard the BBC interview with Grand Rabbi Gilles Bernheim early this morning, a light reference was made to recent campaign on livihood by Sarkozy, one hopes not for his own sake.
Just terrible.
More Jews killed in Europe because they are Jews, nothings changed.