Uniting Church Condemns Attack on Jewish family in Sydney

The Acting General Secretary of the Uniting Church in Australia Rev. Glenda Blakefield has joined other religious leaders in condemning last week’s attack on a Jewish family in the Sydney suburb of Bondi.

“The images of Jewish family members battered and bleeding after being attacked on the way home from a religious observance are deeply disturbing,” said Rev. Blakefield who is responsible for the Uniting Church’s relations with other faiths.

“I’m sure that all members of the Uniting Church will join with me in wishing the family involved a speedy recovery, both physical and emotional, from this traumatic experience.”;

“They and the Jewish community can be reassured that we stand shoulder to shoulder with them and condemn absolutely this kind of appalling behaviour.”;

“Anti-Semitism has no place in Australian society. If anything this incident highlights the efforts that still need to go into building a culture of respect for difference in our multi-faith, multicultural society.”

This week representatives of the Uniting Church were able to share prayers and sympathies over the attack directly with Jewish community counterparts at an interfaith dialogue in Melbourne.

“The freedom to follow our respective religious practices is one we celebrate together as part of these regular meetings,” said Dialogue co-convenor Rev. Dr Matthew Wilson.

“All members of our Dialogue were shocked and saddened at this incident. It was a sombre reminder that mutual understanding between faith communities is something that needs continued and more widespread promotion.”

“We committed ourselves anew to continue to develop respectful and constructive relationships as people of diverse faith,” said Rev. Wilson.

The national Uniting Church-Jewish community dialogue is now in its 23rd year. For more information visit the UCA’s Relations with Other Faiths website: www.assembly.uca.org.au/rof

31 October 2013