Prior to the start of Shavuot on Sunday, June 1, a dozen people were injured at a Run for Their Lives event in Boulder, Colo., when a man yelling “Free Palestine” attacked walkers with a Molotov cocktail and what has been reported as an “improvised flamethrower.” The event has been held weekly in many communities nationwide, including Minneapolis, since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel to keep awareness on the remaining 58 hostages held in Gaza.
Several local Jewish organizations have released statements since the incident. The list will be updated if more statements are released.
Click on an organization to navigate to its statement.
- Minneapolis/St. Paul Jewish Federations
- Minnesota DFL Jewish Community Outreach Organization
- Temple Israel
Minneapolis/St. Paul Jewish Federations
We are horrified by today’s targeted attack in Boulder, where Molotov cocktails were thrown at peaceful demonstrators calling for the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. This deliberate act of terror injured several individuals and was a frightening assault on people gathered in peace.
Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, those who witnessed the attack, and the entire Boulder Jewish community. We pray for healing and a full recovery for all who were injured.
This marks the second targeted act of violence against Jews in recent days, following the tragic murders of two staff members at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. These incidents reflect a deeply troubling rise in hate-fueled violence directed at the Jewish community.
The Minneapolis and St. Paul Jewish Federations condemn these acts unequivocally. Together, we remain steadfast in our commitment to stand against antisemitism, hate, and violence in all its forms—and to support and protect our Jewish communities here and everywhere.
Jewish Community Outreach Organization
We are scared and we are furious.
The antisemitic attack in Boulder was not random. This was not senseless. This was hate fueled by rising antisemitism that has gone unchecked for far too long. This is what happens when hateful rhetoric is tolerated, downplayed, and normalized.
We will not be silent. Jewish safety is not negotiable. Our elected officials, community leaders, and allies must speak out clearly, unequivocally, and relentlessly. Anything less is complicity. Antisemitism in any form is a threat to democracy, safety and out shared humanity.
The Minnesota DFL Jewish Community Outreach Organization stands in unshakable solidarity with the Jewish community in Boulder and Jews across the country. We will not be intimidated,
we will not back down.
We will organize. We will act. We will demand accountability.
Temple Israel
My heart is heavy. Not two weeks have passed since the senseless murder of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim in Washington, D.C., yet we have already heard news of another horrific act of antisemitic violence in Boulder. Sunday’s attack on peaceful demonstrators – gathered in support of the hostages still held in Gaza – is unconscionable. It is not only an act of hatred, but an affront to the values that bind us as a free and democratic society.
Freedom of assembly is a cornerstone of democracy, a fundamental right enshrined in our Constitution. Everyone should be able to gather publicly to express our views without fear of violence. Sunday’s attack was not only another frightening reminder of the rise of antisemitism, but an assault on the inalienable rights that make up the fabric of a democracy.
I offer this prayer: May the One who brings peace from the heavens send healing to the wounded, comfort to their loved ones, and courage to all who gather peacefully in pursuit of a better world.
B’virkat shalom – With blessings of peace,
Rabbi Marcia A. Zimmerman
