This statement appeared on Friday, January 3 in the Arizona Republic, and it is a testament to the value of building community relations:

We faith leaders condemn the attacks on the Jewish people

As faith leaders, people of conscience and goodwill, we unequivocally condemn the attacks in New York and other places against people who are Jews must be for what they are, hateful bigotry and anti-Semitism. We must speak the truth that the most recent attacks are particularly hateful on people of Jewish heritage and in the Jewish community because of the historical violence against the people of Israel.

Too many times in history good people did not speak up or speak up in time, so we speak the truth in love today. Hate and violence in all forms must always be condemned.

We share a deep reverence for our shared humanity. We believe we are all expressions of a divine and sacred presence. An attack on one group is an attack on all our shared holy humanity.

In this season of celebrating light and hope, we speak as people of faith and conscience against this violence. We call for strengthened efforts to prevent and stop such hateful violence by all appropriate federal and local authorities with all the lawful tools at their disposal.

We call on all leaders to condemn these attacks and provide leadership by modeling respect for all people in our civic and public lives. We stand for a society that represents the best of our religious traditions and American values.

We encourage everyone to reach out in love and respect to their neighbor and let them know you stand with them and they are not facing hate alone.

We end with this quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Darkness cannot drive our darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it.”

Rev. Susan Valiquette; Rev. Redeem Robinson; Gordon Street III, commissioned minister; Rev. James Pennington; Rev. Rock Fremont; Rev. Dr. Kate Lehman; Rev. Liana Rowe; Rev. Dr. Patricia Standtal Clarke; Rev. Ken Heintzelman; Peg Heintzelman, poet; Michael Curry, lay minister; Timothy Schmaltz; Rev. Dr. Barb Doerrer Peacock; Nanci Campbell, president; Rev. Dr. William Lyons; Rev. Teresa Blythe; Yvonne Harrison, moderator; Chris Wickersham, moderator; Jane McNamara, moderator