The mayor of New York City, home to the world's largest concentration of Jews outside Israel, said there is only one way to deal with hate – confront it head on.
Mayor Bill de Blasio joined city religious leaders outside the Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan Sunday to condemn the massacre of 11 Jews inside a Pittsburgh synagogue.
"This gathering sends a message. New York City will never succumb to hate. We will never allow ourselves to be divided," the mayor said.
He assured the city's large Jewish population that police will protect synagogues and Jewish community centers.
"We will not let anyone harm you."
De Blasio was joined Sunday by Jewish, Muslim, and Christian clergymen, including Cardinal Timothy Dolan. The cardinal said the fact that the Pittsburgh shooting victims were Jews – a people who have "suffered for centuries" – adds to the horror.
"The respect for the inherent dignity of every human being and the sacredness of human life, we must never, ever question," the cardinal said.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has ordered flags in the state to fly at half-staff all week.
