05/22/2026
We at Valley Outreach Synagogue mourn for the victims of the attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Another house of worship. Another community shattered by hate and violence. There was a time when places of worship were understood to be sanctuaries and were truly set apart. You could feel the invisible boundary at the door, and everyone, regardless of belief, respected it. A church, a mosque, a synagogue, or a temple were spaces where one could feel safe, and where hatred and violence simply were not allowed to follow you inside. That reverence wasn't enforced by gates or guards. It was held in common, because humans agreed that some ground was sacred.
We must find our way back to that. No one should be afraid to walk into a sacred space to pray, to gather, and to find holy community. We hope and pray for healing in the face of this hatred, and for a world where people of every faith can come together freely, safely, and without fear.
Rabbi Julie Rosenson, Associate Rabbi
Rabbi Ron Li-Paz, Head Rabbi (on Sabbatical)
