To download the ECAJ statement in PDF format, click here. To download the letter of appre­ci­ation from the Aus­trali­an National Imams Council, click here.

The passing of time has not dimin­ished the outrage and revulsion felt across the Aus­trali­an Jewish community by the wanton massacre of 51 innocent people and the wounding of an equal number of others while they were at prayer at two mosques in Christ­ch­urch, New Zealand, on 15 March 2019. The depth and brutality of the crime continue to weigh heavily on us.

We remember and honour the victims and their families and offer messages of peace and hope to all those who were affected by this horrific crime, which we have conveyed both per­son­ally and as an organ­isa­tion to our friends in the Muslim com­munit­ies in Australia.

This atrocity was spawned by a hate-filled ideology of racial supremacy and religious bigotry, which threatens the found­a­tions of civil­isa­tion itself, and the bonds of our common humanity. If anyone failed to see that threat one year ago, they must surely see it now.

The global problems con­front­ing humanity, including the current COVID-19 pandemic, affect us all, regard­less of nation­al­ity, skin colour, religion, ideology, gender, sexual ori­ent­a­tion or social class. Hatred can only divide and distract us, and thereby make us weaker and less well placed to overcome our common chal­lenges. Co-operation and com­pas­sion strengthen us by giving us the sense of common purpose we need to survive, care for one another and flourish.

Times of crisis bring out some of the best and worst in people. The most fitting way we can com­mem­or­ate what happened one year ago in Christ­ch­urch, and honour the victims, is to strive in the midst of adversity to bring out what is best in us.

Contact
Peter Wertheim | Co-CEO
ph: 02 8353 8505 | m: 0408 160 904 | fax 02 9361 588
e: [email protected]| www.ecaj.org.au