(JTA) — A New York synagogue apologized to its members for screening a video about the murders of five members of the Fogel family in the West Bank settlement of Itamar.
The video shown March 19 at the The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale prior to the Purim Megillah reading included photos of the crime scene, including the body of a 3-year-old boy, from the Sabbath eve attack on March 11.
The New York Jewish Week reported that in an e-mail to its membership, Rabbi Avi Weiss, Rabba Sarah Hurwitz and Associate Rabbi Steven Exler wrote that “We deeply regret the terrible mistake we made in the video which we showed."
They explained that they had downloaded the wrong video presentation, and then made a second mistake by not halting the screening, the newspaper wrote.
"We recognize the real and profound trauma and hurt this has caused children and adults in our Bayit, and we take personal responsibility,” the letter said.
The spiritual leaders said they and the congregation’s social worker would be available to discuss the footage with members and their children, according to the newspaper.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
