Bulgarian Jewish organisation joins condemnation of shooting attack near synagogue in Halle
The Organization of the Jews in Bulgaria “Shalom” has expressed its condemnation of the fatal shooting attack near a synagogue in the German city of Halle on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Deutsche Welle reported on October 9 that at least two people had died in the attack in the eastern German city.
German federal interior minister Horst Seehofer said that at least one of the motives for the attack must be antisemitism. Police have detained one suspect but have warned that others may remain at large, DW said.
Shalom said that it strongly condemns this manifest act of violence and antisemitism on the Day of Atonement, in which millions of Jews around the world seek hope and peace in the house of worship.
“On behalf of the Bulgarian Jewish community, we extend our sincere condolences to the families of the dead, though at the moment it will not comfort their grief,” Shalom said, expressing wishes for a speedy and full recovery of those wounded in the terrorist attack.
Shalom said that it hoped that the perpetrators would be apprehended and face a just punishment for their actions.
In a message on Twitter, Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva said that she was appalled by the attack in Halle, on the holiest Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
“My thoughts are with the relatives and families of the victims. I would also like to express my solidarity with the German authorities,” Zaharieva said. A similar message came from Deputy Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev, Bulgaria’s national co-ordinator of the fight against antisemitism.
Nikolai Mladenov, UN Special Envoy for the Middle East Peace Process and a former Foreign Minister of Bulgaria, said that he joined the UN Secretary General in condemning the attack on Yom Kippur on the synagogue in Halle.
“We need to stand up to antisemitism whenever and wherever it occurs. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims and I wish a swift recovery to those wounded,” Mladenov said.
The World Jewish Congress and the American Jewish Committee broke the silence on social networks customary for Yom Kippur to condemn the attack.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a message on Twitter: “I am shocked by the brutal attacks in Halle – on this day, Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims. On this day we stand in solidarity with the Jewish community,” Juncker said.