The Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and its Jewish Community Relations Council sent the following letter to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer following the tragic shooting at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub early Sunday morning.

Dear Mayor Dyer,

Sunday morning’s massacre at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub has shaken and saddened the world. The thoughts, prayers and best wishes of decent people everywhere are with the victims’ families and loved ones. Mourning the dead, extending condolences to families, praying for the recovery of the injured and applauding and echoing your own strong words of condemnation and tolerance are the first of several responses we look to undertake.

Violence and hatred targeting Americans in general, and the LGBTQ community celebrating a Latin-themed night in particular, requires unequivocal condemnation and must be countered. We join with members of every faith community decrying those who, infected with the ideology of radical Islam, are inspired to commit such barbaric acts of terrorism.

Having just celebrated the festival of Shavuot, our tradition offers special words about this deadly struggle between those who embrace tolerance and freedom and those who murder, oppress and hate. The festival marks the receiving of the Ten Commandments, the foundational laws of our faith and others, including, “Thou shalt not kill,” and a sacred wisdom tradition that reminds us, time and again, to accept the “other.”

As members of a minority group that has often been targeted, our shared duty as Americans is to buttress our society against bigotry and combat the scourges of gun violence and untreated mental health issues. An attack on any one group — be it LGBTQ, members of a particular faith, people of color, immigrants, or others — is an assault on all who cherish the very principles that make our country great.

In that spirit we look forward to working with our colleagues at the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando and showing our solidarity with Chicago’s LGBTQ community as participants in our city’s Pride Parade.

Let us resolve to preserve the sanctity of human life, dignity and freedom. Let us stand with people from all walks of life — all of us “others” joining together with one another–to heal Orlando, our nation and the world.

Sincerely,

Steven B. Nasatir, President, JUF

Bill Silverstein, Chair, JUF

David T. Brown, Chair, JCRC

Emily M. Sweet, Executive Director, JCRC