Published: Jan. 21, 2022

The Program in Jewish Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder is deeply grateful for the safe escape of the four individuals held hostage at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. We recognize and condemn this event both as a horrific ordeal for these individuals, their families, and the Colleyville community, and as a traumatic event that has shaken members of Jewish communities across the United States, especially amid the dramatic rise in antisemitic incidents in recent years. We are thankful to Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker of Congregation Beth Israel for his leadership, courage, and compassion; to the first responders and emergency personnel who helped resolve this crisis; and to the members of diverse religious communities, including local Muslim and Christian leaders, who have expressed solidarity and support. We also condemn any further instances of hatred emerging in the wake of this event. As an academic program, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that our teaching, scholarship, and public programming are shaped by the struggle against hatred and violence in our society, and we stand in solidarity with all individuals and communities confronting these horrors.