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Dozens of Staten Islanders, along with elected officials and religious leaders, braved the rain and gathered at the Staten Island Mall plaza for a vigil honoring the victims of the Chabad of Poway shooting in California which killed one and injured three others.

The shooting, which took place on the last day of Passover during Synagogue services -- when Jewish worshippers are typically remembering departed family members -- prompted borough residents to gather and show unity in the face of hate crimes.

“As Americans we cannot cower in the face of the senseless hate that is anti-Semitism, we need to confront it,” said Mendy Katzman, the Associate Director of Chabad of Staten Island in Meiers Corners.

“Every step back can and must become the impetus for a giant leap forward," Katzman said.

Katzman, along with other religious leaders present at the vigil, expressed that the acts of anti-Semitism that fueled the recent attack, along with the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting which killed 11 people, was not the “real America.”

“We are humbled by the broad support so many people in the community have shared with us in Staten Island," Katzman said, “This is the real America, not those who divide and hate.”

Congressman Max Rose said that he was “deeply touched” by the impressive turnout at the vigil, despite the gloomy weather that persisted Sunday evening.

“It speaks to the seriousness of the issues we face today,” Rose said, “but it should also give us incredible hope.”

“Hope and faith that as Americans, as New Yorkers, we take great pride in the cultural mosaic that is our community, our country,” Rose said.

“This is not the time for politics, not the time for divisiveness, not the time for hate,” Rose added, "this is certainly the time for unity.

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis said that vigils like the one held on Sunday are “happening all too often.”

“And that is something that should be frightening to all of us,” Malliotakis said.

Malliotakis stressed the importance of denouncing hate, anti-Semitism and divisive rhetoric in the wake of hate crimes, but also expressed sadness over the violence that occurred in California.

“My thoughts, my prayers are with the Chabot of Poway, and also with every jewish individual in our nation and Israel, but also any person who values this nation because of our freedom of religion,” Malliotakis added.

Representatives from the office of Senator Andrew Lanza and Richmond County District Attorney Michael E. McMahon were also present at the vigil.

Earlier this year, McMahon, along with top-Island law enforcement officials, vowed to vigorously pursue allegations of hate-crimes on Staten Island.

Garry Squire, pastor for Messiah Lutheran Church in Annadale, attended the vigil to show interfaith support.

“I think it’s important that we show our support to our brothers and sisters for all faiths,” Squire said.

“The lutheran church stands behind them,” he said.

Other religious leaders who attended and spoke at the vigil expressed the same sentiment of cross-faith support.

Imam Dr. Tahir Kukaj of the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center in Tompkinsville said that “as much as an honor it is to be here, it is my duty to be here, to be with my jewish brothers and sisters.”

“The Albanian Islamic Cultural Center has been a mosque…and a place of worship whether for muslims, Jews, Christians and even for those who choose to have a different faith,” Kukaj said. “We continue that tradition of standing by jewish people,” he added.

On Friday, Rabbi Michael Howald of Temple Israel in Randall Manor and members of his congregation attended prayers at the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center at noon, before Imam Kukaj and members of his Mosque attended Temple Services only a few hours later as part of a campaign called #TriStateAgainstHate.

The campaign, which paired synagogues and mosques across the Tri-State area, encourages synagogue members to attend Friday afternoon prayers at a mosque, and for mosque members to join a synagogue for Friday night services in light of the California attack.

A statement from Bishop John O’Hara, of the Archdiocese of New York, said that “My heart is broken and filed with sorrow as we come together once again in vigil to mourn the loss of life in another senseless act of violence.”

“We are confronted with a searing tragedy rooted in hate, bigotry and appalling ignorance,” the statement continued; “Our coming together tonight each in our own faith tradition and our various walks of life shines light in the darkness that seems to deepen and increase day-by-day.”

https://www.silive.com/news/2019/05/staten-islanders-show-unity-in-wake-of-anti-semitic-shooting.html