Local Religious Leaders Unite Following Jersey City Shooting

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Dozens of people of various faiths are standing together in solidarity following a deadly mass shooting in Jersey City earlier this month.

In a statement, members of the Hudson County Brotherhood Sisterhood Association, called the mass shooting, "another wound inflicted on the soul of our country as we absorb the horror of the attack." The association is composed of dozens of religious leaders from the Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and Christian faiths, along with others.

"It is with a sense of outrage that we must condemn this horrific act of anti-Jewish and anti-law enforcement hatred," the statement read. "The religious and ethnic communities of Hudson County stand united in the face of his appalling act of hatred and violence."

The group said it would pray for the families of the victims, "those whose fears have been raised by the tragic events, and for those in the community who are struggling with the demons of divisiveness which threaten us all."

The shooting brought to light certain racial tensions that have been simmering since ultra-Orthodox Jews moved into the lower-income community, NorthJersey.com reported.

"The fact that Jersey City and Hudson County are among our country's most diverse places has always been a source of pride," the association said. "As we work through this difficult time, and too many other gun deaths in our community may we, as God's beloved, commit ourselves to lives of justice and peace, and a determination to stamp out hate and seek ways to build harmony among our diversity and work together for the common good of all."

The association is not the only religious-based group to express mourning regarding the loss of life.

The Jersey City-based Muslim Federation of New Jersey stated that it mourns the loss of the shooting victims.

"Today, we are reminded of the heroism of our officers and the sacrifice they make every day in keeping our neighborhoods safe," the federation wrote online, Patch previously reported.

The New Jersey Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations also released a statement to the Jersey City Jewish community.

"We stand in solidarity with our Jewish sisters and brothers and ask people of all faiths and backgrounds to repudiate the hatred that apparently motivated this heinous attack," said Jim Sues, CAIR-NJ's executive director. "As a diverse community, we must not allow hatred to be fueled against any person or group. We thank local law enforcement authorities for their swift response and offer our condolences to the family of the slain Jersey City police officer and to the loved ones of all those killed or injured.

Six people, including Jersey City Detective Joseph Seals, were killed two heavily armed shooters. Three civilians also died in the attack: Douglas Rodriguez, 49, Leah Mindel Ferencz, 32, and Moshe Hersh Deutsch, 24, authorities said. Deutsch owned and ran the Kosher grocery store in the Greenview section of town with his wife, Ferencz, where the shooting occurred.

Police fatally shot the two suspects, Francine Graham, 50, and David Anderson, 47.

Related:

• 6 Killed In Jersey City Shooting Standoff; Police Officer Dies
• Suspects, Victims ID'd After 6 Killed In Jersey City Shooting
  
• Muslim Community Expresses Sorrow Over Jersey City Shooting

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com