The Jewish community of the Lehigh Valley is saddened, shocked and outraged by the terror attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, today in which at least 49 people were murdered and many more were injured while attending Friday prayers in two different mosques.

We strongly condemn this attack, which is a barbaric assault on every person who believes in the dignity of human life.

As the head of New Zealand’s Jewish community stated earlier today, there are "no adequate words to describe how sickened and devastated we are by the coordinated attacks on Christchurch mosques today. We offer our full assistance and support to the Muslim community and stand united with it against the scourge of terrorism and racism."

Our community stands with our Muslim brothers and sisters – in New Zealand, in the Lehigh Valley and around the world – in the face of extremist hatred and violence. Tonight, as we gather to pray for Shabbat, we will pray for the souls of the victims and for the recovery of those injured. We express our deepest condolences to the bereaved family members and send our love and compassion to the resilient people of Christchurch.