All of us at Progressive Jewish Alliance are heartbroken over the terrible events of September 11. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We are all grieving today. We are well aware that Tuesday's attacks were aimed not only at people and buildings, but also at the diverse free and open society that we value so dearly.

But even as we mourn we must think clearly, and not be blinded by our anger and our pain. We must stand up for those innocent people who, because of their religion, ethnicity or national origin, may be scapegoated or persecuted in Tuesday's aftermath. We are deeply concerned over reports that some in our country have expressed their anger through attacks on Muslim and Arab Americans. Such attacks are an affront to both our progressive and our Jewish values. We must proclaim, loudly and clearly, that we are all Americans, and that we will not be divided by terror or by rage, by hatred or by bigotry.

These are indeed difficult days for all of us. We wish you a shanah tovah, a happy, sweet and peaceful new year. We pray that this year will be better than the one that is ending.