Hundreds came together in Santa Barbara Tuesday night to show solidarity for the victims of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.
A huge crowd gathered at Congregation B’nai B’rith, joining in song and mourning for the 11 people killed in the shooting at a synagogue on Saturday.
The local clergy said they were deeply saddened by the horrific attack.
Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson and Congressman Salud Carbajal addressed the crowd about the strength in the community’s love and support.
Jackson spoke about her own Jewish faith and experience with anti-Semitism. She called on the community to embrace diversity and find strength in each other.
“I ask that when you leave this hall tonight, that you remember that common humanity and reach out to our neighbors – to those you know and those you don’t know, and remind them that we are better in this world when we share it through love and compassion than when we divide ourselves through hate than fear. We are better than this. We will do better than this,” said Jackson.
Members of the clergy and local public officials each took the stand sharing a message of love and unity, stressing that they support everyone in their community and want to help people feel safe and supported.
The Congregation says safety is its number one priority, and it is working with local law enforcement and a private security firm to ensure everyone is safe.
