The Milwaukee Jewish Federation issued the following statement on Jan. 12.
We are outraged and filled with grief after the incidents of terrorism last week in Paris. We join with the people of France and the global Jewish community in loudly and clearly denouncing these attacks by radical Islamic terrorists and offer condolences and prayers for the 17 victims and their families.
Wednesday’s [Jan. 7] horrific shooting at the offices of the satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, which left 12 people dead, was an attack on our basic democratic freedoms. On Friday [Jan. 9], as many Jews prepared for the Sabbath, terrorists entered a kosher grocery store with the stated intent of “targeting Jews” and murdered four people.
These attacks are part of a rising tide of anti-Semitism and Islamic extremism in France and throughout Europe that has led many French Jews to flee their homes and country.
In the face of these acts, we stand with the people of France and all peace-loving people in the struggle against an extremist, supremacist ideology that is filled with hatred and backed by violence. We affirm that this is a struggle against radical Islamic terrorism, not a struggle against the vast numbers of people of goodwill in the global Muslim community.
We offer prayers and condolences for all the victims and their families, and a complete recovery for the injured. We call upon all the people of our community to speak loudly and persistently in defense of freedom and in active rejection of violent extremism.
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