ASTANA,Kazakhstan(Raza Syed)-In an emotionally charged address at the 21st session of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, Mr. Joel Adler, representing the Jewish faith, expressed his gratitude to the hosts while delivering a powerful message of unity, moral responsibility, and the urgent need to condemn acts of terror. In his speech,He emphasized the core purpose of this gathering, which is to unite leaders of world and traditional religions with the common goal of promoting mutual understanding and fostering global peace and harmony.
Joel Adler,Representative of the Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi, who hails from Jerusalem, a city revered by many faiths, recounted a chilling personal experience during his visit to the holy city. He described the terror and sorrow that has befallen the region, with innocent lives, including men, women, children, and infants, tragically lost to acts of terror. The anguish of mourning families, the suffering of hostages, and the brutality of thousands injured left Adler with a heavy heart. He condemned the ruthless acts of antisemitic terrorists, who, in the name of God, carried out atrocious acts of violence, murdering fathers and mothers in front of their young children and abducting innocent children. Adler urged leaders of different faiths to unite in denouncing such heinous acts, as they not only desecrate God but also stain the moral fabric of humanity.
Adler, who celebrated the Jewish High Holidays in Jerusalem, concluded by highlighting the need for all faiths to unite in defense of humanity, morality, and tolerance. He underscored the shared belief in the sanctity of life and the duty to emulate God’s mercy and love. Silence, he argued, would amount to complicity, and the world could not afford to tolerate such brutality. In his closing remarks, Adler called for a strong-worded condemnation of these atrocities from the Congress, emphasizing the importance of upholding morality, dignity, and humanity in the face of such evil. He ended his address with a joint prayer for the suffering, injured, hostages, and mourning families, expressing hope for the elimination of antisemitism and the prevalence of peace, humanity, and love in the world.
Joel Adler’s speech underscores the urgent need for religious leaders to come together in defense of shared human values and principles of compassion, love, and tolerance, and to speak out against acts of violence committed in the name of faith.
