U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro shows deep involvement in Israel’s plight, as he pays condolences, visits the wounded and prays at the site of last week’s horrible terror attack.

A week after two Arab terrorists attacked a synagogue in Jerusalem and brutally massacred five Israelis, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro prayed at the site of the attack.

While donning his Tallit and Teffilin (prayer shawl and phylacteries), Ambassador Shapiro commented, “I felt a great necessity to come here on the last day of the week-long mourning period. I came to be here with the worshipers and the members of the United Hatzalah rescue teams who acted selflessly to save lives.”

Shapiro toured the site of the vicious attack and spoke with other worshipers, of whom many were American citizens, as were three of the five murdered Israelis. He met some of the people who  witnessed the butchering of their friends in the synagogue during the attack.

Shapiro later paid a visit to Yaakov (Yanky) Ehrlich, a volunteer paramedic with United Hatzalah, who arrived at the synagogue during the terrorist attack to help the wounded.

Attempting to flee the terrorists’ bullets, he slipped in a puddle of blood and suffered a severe leg fracture. Shapiro thanked him for his dedication to saving lives, even in moments of terrible danger, and wished him a speedy recovery.

A Source of Pride for the Druze Community

Shapiro also visited the home of Zidan Saif, the slain Druze police officer who was killed in the shootout with the terrorists. He came to offer condolences to the family and told them that the United States honors the memory of Zidan, who did not hesitate to risk his own life to save those whose lives were in jeopardy. “With all the pain and the sorrow, it was clear to me that Zidan is also a source of pride to the Druze community, and an example of the impressive values to which they are faithful,” Shapiro said after the visit last Friday.

‘Pure, Unadulterated Evil’

In a statement issued immediately after the terror attack, Shapiro deemed it “a barbaric new low in the sad and outrageous history of such attacks.” Shapiro unequivocally rebuked the terrorists:

“Murdering worshipers at prayer in a synagogue is an act of pure, unadulterated evil. On behalf of the United States government and the American people, I condemn this terrorist attack in the strongest possible terms. There is no possible justification for such an act of violence.”

Shapiro called for further Israeli action against the terrorists:

“Beyond the terrorists who were killed by police responding to the attack, any others involved must be held responsible and brought to justice. While terrorist organizations like Hamas, true to form, are already praising these murders, anyone else who places a claim to responsible leadership must clearly condemn this outrage and any acts of incitement that can inspire events like these. I also want to offer our deepest condolences to the families of those murdered in the attack.”

Tell us in the comments below: How would YOU show your sympathy to those impacted by this tragedy? What would you say at the attack site during a condolence visit?

Author: United with Israel Staff