Public Statement from the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City in Response to Events in our Nation’s Capitol on January 6, 2021

We, the members of the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City, are saddened by the events that transpired on January 6th, 2021 in our Nation’s capitol. We mourn the loss of human life and deplore the destruction of property. We are dismayed that our president incited and encouraged the seditionists who stormed the halls of Congress with the purpose of overthrowing democracy. In addition, we are alarmed at seeing the pictures of individuals openly wearing slogans desecrating the Holocaust.

We are united in denouncing these acts of domestic terrorism as well as those who support or abate its cause: the troublesome resurgence of Neo-Nazi and white supremacist ideology which we have witnessed in our country since January of 2017. The Neo-Nazis who stormed our US Capitol at the urging of the sitting president are a threat to us as Jews, to the Black and Brown communities, and to all who celebrate the strength of our diversity.

We call the Jewish community and our Nation to be vigilant in our opposition to political violence, and we must do so peacefully. Two-thousand years ago, Rabbi Hillel taught: “Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace.”

It is not enough to love peace in our hearts, we must do what we can to bring people together, to make peace happen, to stress our commonality above our differences; to stress our common concerns for the health and safety of our families, and the fair treatment of every human being.

Let us commit once again to be rod’fei shalom, people who pursue peace daily. Loving and actively pursuing peace is how we show that we all want to make this country better. We pray that January 20th will bring about a renewed opportunity for us to move forward as a people who value the Divine image that each of us carries within.