Mayor’s Message – A Message of Love and Solidarity
Posted on: October 17, 2023 - 2:04pm
Dear everyone,
I want to acknowledge and thank all of you who have shared what you’ve been feeling these last ten days, especially our Jewish and Muslim residents. The news of the devastating terrorist attack on innocent Israelis by Hamas horrified all of us, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza breaks our hearts.
The situation is deeply tragic and the ramifications for all of us are grave, and I felt a responsibility to take sufficient time to craft a response. I sought out and listened to the viewpoints of a diverse set of community members, including some of our religious leaders, and want to share with you my thoughts.
For some members of our community, what they have been witnessing is deeply personal and created a profound sense of terror - they have family and friends whose homes have been destroyed, they know people who were wounded, killed or held hostage, they are traumatized and in mourning.
What I heard when I spoke to friends and neighbors here in our beautiful village was deep-seated fear. Fear for the safety of those that have been captured, fear that their loved ones are in imminent danger, fear that their homeland will be destroyed, fear for the future and what it holds for them and their families abroad and here at home.
I can’t speak for what will happen abroad, but I can say that in our community we believe in taking care of one another and in offering support to neighbors who are in pain and struggling. We believe in democracy and we cherish humanity and freedom. We want everyone who has chosen to make our village their home to feel welcome and safe here — both physically and emotionally. We want them to be able to worship as they choose and be comfortable in who they are. We want them to feel loved.
As I think about the weeks and months ahead, I hope that how we behave as a community binds us to one another. That in our village we celebrate what we have in common, that we are curious about our differences, that we strive to understand others and share with them our customs and ways of living, that we relish our diversity, that we practice tolerance, and that we live out these values in our daily actions.
With compassion and love,
Niki