JUF’s Jewish Community Relations Council Chair David T. Brown and Executive Director Emily Sweet issued the following statement in response to the murder of Father Jacques Hamel in Normandy, France.

We are horrified by the killing of Fr. Jacques Hamel, 85, a Catholic priest, who was brutally murdered by terrorists while conducting mass, and offer our deepest sympathies and condolences to the community of St.-Étienne-du-Rouvray in Normandy, France.

This unspeakable crime against a man of God in a house of worship is an assault against every faith. It is an assault against every house of worship.

It is an assault against every person of faith. It is an assault against all who gather in prayer.

The Jewish tradition teaches us that in the face of evil we must choose good; that in the face of death we must choose life; that in the face of barbarism we embrace righteousness.

We join with leaders of all faiths in condemning such acts of terror which have been plaguing our society, and reaffirm our shared commitment to pursuing God’s work in creating a peaceful and just world.