From Robin Frisch, TEMV President:
Dear Friends,
Sadly, in my role as TEMV’s president, I am once again writing to all of you in the wake of heartbreaking violence brought upon the Jewish community, this time in San Diego at the Chabad of Poway synagogue.
It is hard to believe that this occurred on the last day of Passover and just six months after the horrific shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. As always, the first thing I want to do is give reassurance that our congregation’s safety and security is at the forefront of my mind, as it is for Rabbi Sparr and the Board of Trustees. And once again, I am reminded how fortunate we are to be located in Lowell, Massachusetts, where the police department continues to give us the highest level of protection on an ongoing basis, especially when I call to request extra surveillance, as I did again today. The police officer I spoke with told me it is as important to them to alleviate our anxiety as much as possible as it is to do everything in their power to keep us safe.
We do have a security camera and alarm system installed in our new space. The rabbi, the Board and I will continue to review congregational security measures on an ongoing basis. While nothing is ever foolproof, please be assured we are doing everything we can to keep our temple as secure as possible and to keep everyone safe.
In the meantime, we will continue to pray for all of those affected by violence around the world. Tonight, special prayers go out to those in San Diego, California, at Chabad of Poway. We also remember the recent deadly attacks against Christians at prayer in Sri Lanka and against Muslims in New Zealand. TEMV will renew its dedication to working towards peace and understanding both locally and more broadly, as we remain ever vigilant in all areas of our vibrant congregational life.
L’Shalom (towards peace),
Robin
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Robin Frisch
President, TEMV Board of Trustees