The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, is pained and outraged by today’s stabbing attack in Moscow’s Bronnya Synagogue in which eleven worshipers were injured, four critically. We express our deepest sympathy to the victims and call on all people of good will to join the Russian Jewish community in prayer for their swift and complete recovery.

On this dark day we stand firmly with the Jewish community of Russia and express our deep concern for the anti-Semitic attacks that continue to plague the community. Sadly, this attack underscores the need for Russian authorities to recognize and seriously address the ongoing scourge of anti-Semitism within the Russian Federation. The Russian government must act resolutely to protect and secure the lives of its Jewish citizens and diligently work to eradicate such attacks from its borders.

We call on President Putin and State Prosecutor-General Ustinov to swiftly bring the perpetrator of this anti-Semitic crime to justice and unambiguously, both in word and deed, reiterate its commitment to peace, tolerance, and religious freedom.