On Oct. 27, 2018, an act of unspeakable violence was committed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. An armed man, fueled by an irrational hatred of Jews, murdered 11 innocent people. This tragedy is a stark reminder of the need to confront and condemn antisemitism, which continues to manifest itself in ways both overt and subtle.
The Tree of Life Synagogue massacre was the most violent attack against Jews in U.S. history. Five years later, on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel suffered the single deadliest attack against Jews since the Holocaust — this time, not at the hands of Nazis, but Hamas terrorists.
According to the FBI, antisemitic hate crimes increased 25 percent from 2021 to 2022, and antisemitism accounted for over half of all reported religion-based hate crimes. In North Carolina last year, antisemitic incidents increased by 30 percent. The ongoing conflict in Israel has led to even more antisemitic attacks both in the U.S. and around the world.
This hatred becomes exponentially more lethal when combined with the epidemic of gun violence that continues to terrorize our nation. The relentless drumbeat of gun violence, including mass shootings like the recent tragedy in Lewiston, Maine, punctuates our daily lives with dread, especially in our most vulnerable communities.
The dual threat of antisemitism and gun violence has cultivated an atmosphere of palpable fear among American Jews. We cannot allow this deadly combination to imperil the promise of “Never Again” and the fundamental American right to worship in peace and safety. That’s why I’ve called for increased federal funding to bolster the security of synagogues.
Every act of gun violence, especially when driven by hatred towards the victim’s race or religion, is not just an attack on one specific community. It is an attack on our shared principles and the fabric of our society.
One of the most important lessons that the Jewish people can teach the world is that an act of hate against one community is an act of hate against us all.
As we remember the victims of the Tree of Life Synagogue tragedy and the countless others lost to acts of antisemitism and gun violence, our mission is clear. Let’s intensify our efforts to make Jews across the U.S. and the world feel safe and valued. This mission demands an unwavering commitment to confronting prejudice and enforcing stringent gun violence prevention measures. We owe it to the memory of those we’ve lost and to future generations.
Wiley Nickel is currently serving his first term serving as the U.S. Representative of the 13th District of North Carolina which includes Wake, Wayne, Johnston and Harnett counties.