Toronto, ON – October 8, 2023 – As a body of Jews and Christians who have been pursuing interreligious understanding and friendship in the GTA for decades, the Christian-Jewish Dialogue of Toronto is stunned and heartbroken by the dramatic explosion of violence against Israel and its citizens in the last 36 hours.
We denounce the killings, kidnappings and devastation unleashed by Hamas as the Jewish community prepared to celebrate the festival of Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in God’s Law). We weep that once again the Holy Land is stained with the blood of hundreds of innocent people, and we are saddened that the consequences of these attacks will result in further suffering for many Israeli and Palestinian people as well.
We reject the logic of violence, and stand in solidarity with local Jewish communities who are understandably worried about the potential for these events to spill over into our region. We are united in praying for a swift cessation of this war, and we renew our commitment to dialogue as the only real path toward a future of greater hope. May the God whom we all adore guide us in this time of turmoil, darkness and pain. May God who makes peace in the heavenly places grant peace to Israel, and to the peoples of that Land, so sacred to us all.
We offer our prayers for all those whose lives have been devastated by these tragic events.For more information, contact info@cjdt.org