Our hearts are broken after the tragedies in Atlanta. Anti-Asian violence, misogyny, gender-based violence, white supremacy, xenophobia – it must end now. To our Jewish AAPI community, we are holding you close. We mourn with you and we stand with you.

There has been an alarming 150 percent increase in violence and harassment against Asians and Asian Americans since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with women reporting incidents at twice the rate of men. We cannot allow ourselves to be desensitized to the violence, to become accustomed to muttering our sorrows and moving on. As Avodah’s Rabbi-in-Residence Lauren Tuchman says, “we are all created b’Tzelem Elokim, in the image of the divine.” We must acknowledge the infinite value of the lives lost as a result of hatred – and see ourselves as one another’s keeper.

At Avodah, our religious ideas and values move us to tangible, meaningful action. We are  following the leadership of AAPI-led organizations and activists, such as Stop AAPI Hate, the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, Asian American Feminist Collective and so many others, as we strive together for a more just and equitable world.

We will continue to push our leaders to take steps to address the impact of hateful rhetoric and the violence directed at AAPI individuals. We stand in solidarity with our AAPI community in the call for accountability.

Z”l. May their memories be for a blessing. May this moment be for a revolution.

Delaina Ashley Yaun, 33

Xiaojie Tan, 49

Daoyou Feng, 44

Paul Andre Michels, 54

Elcias R Hernandez-Ortiz, 30

Hyun Jung Grant, 51

Soon Chung Park, 74

Suncha Kim, 69

Yong Ae Yue, 63