SOMA Interfaith Holocaust Remembrance Committee 

Statement on the Attack of October 7, 2023

The SOMA Interfaith Holocaust Remembrance Committee stands united against antisemitism of any kind. We reject Jew-hatred and discrimination in America and around the world, including in our streets and neighborhoods, in our places of worship, on social media, and in our schools and universities. 

We unequivocally stand against the actions of terrorist organizations, including Hamas, who on October 7th tortured and killed approximately 1,200 Israeli citizens. We mourn and call for the release of all the Israeli hostages taken by Hamas. Acts of violence and terror have no place in the pursuit of peace, and we condemn any attempts to harm innocent lives. We also condemn those who deny Jews, and Israel, the right to exist.

As an Interfaith Holocaust Remembrance Committee, we mourn with the Jewish people in Israel, America, and worldwide who are being targeted on a global scale. Likewise, we abhor rising Islamophobia, and any hate or violence ignited by this conflict around the world. We mourn the many thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians who have been killed since October 7th as a result of the ensuing conflict. We call for the protection of Palestinian civilian lives as Israel exercises its right to protect itself from terrorist groups like Hamas, whose sole intent is to kill and eliminate Israel and Jews. 

In our mission to keep the memory of the atrocities and genocide committed during the Holocaust alive, to foster understanding, and to ensure that the lessons of history resonate in our time, we seek to be upstanders and fight against the persecution of Jews and other minorities.

Let us use this remembrance as a call to action—a call to stand together against antisemitism and hate, to foster inclusivity, and to be unwavering advocates for a world where the lessons of the past guide us toward a future built on peace, respect, and unity.