Before there was antisemitism, there was evil. Long before we developed specific categories of hatred, the human capacity to harm, destroy and dehumanize already existed. The Bible describes this reality at the very beginning of the human story. Violence appears in the first family: Cain murders his brother Abel. Ever since, humanity has had to confront the darker side of its own nature. 

The horrific attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, belongs to that same tragic lineage. Antisemitism is the form the hatred took, but the root runs deeper. It is the same destructive impulse that has appeared throughout history — an impulse that demonizes the other, justifies cruelty, and can drive someone to attempt the unthinkable, the murder of children. 

Yet our tradition also teaches another truth: evil may be persistent, but it is never the final word. Each time violence appears, communities respond not only with grief but also with renewed determination. Faith communities stand together. People of conscience speak out. And the values that hatred seeks to destroy — heroism, goodness and moral responsibility — are reaffirmed. 

Friday night, as Shabbat began, Temple Israel gathered at the nearby Chaldean Church, which opened its doors to a traumatized community. The sanctuary was filled as the congregation chanted “Birkat HaGomel,” the traditional prayer recited after surviving danger or disaster. In a powerful moment, members of the synagogue adapted the traditional blessing invoking angels of protection into a tribute to the real heroes among them — the security staff who defended the synagogue and protected more than 100 preschool-age children. 

The resilience and hope expressed in that prayer service were deeply moving and inspiring to all who witnessed it, regardless of background. 

Thursday’s attack on Temple Israel reminds us that an epic struggle is ongoing all around us. But the response the very next day reminds us of something equally important: Whenever people refuse to be defined by fear, whenever communities stand together in solidarity, and whenever the vision of peace shines even in the darkness, goodness prevails. 

We must remain vigilant and pragmatic. But we must also never surrender hope that the day will come when every person, everywhere, can live free from fear — in a world at peace. 

Rabbi Mark Blazer is the rabbi of Temple Beth Ami in Santa Clarita.    

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