On March 27, a deadly shooting killed one civilian and hurt a child and the rabbi at the Poway Synagogue in California. The perpetrat0r was caught entering the synagogue and yelling anti-Semitic slurs as he attempted to kill as many mass attenders as possible. The woman who died in the event jumped in front of the rabbi in order to protect him from the shots, yet the bullet still managed to reach the rabbi.

This event came as a shock for the Jewish community during the weekend of Passover. Many Jews who do not typically attend church tend to make an effort to attend mass on the sacred day. This attack was planned in a seven-page letter that outlined the terrorist’s antisemitic sentiments.

”The antisemitism in this nation has reached extremely dangerous levels. I no longer feel safe in a place that originally represented peace and safety for me,” sophomore Mia Crabill said.

Six months prior, the “Tree of Life” Temple in Pittsburgh suffered as a result of a shooting that claimed the life of 11 worshipers. This tragedy has deepened the wound that so deeply marked the community for all of history. While thankful that the tragedy was not as severe as the one in Pittsburgh, people around the world were still disheartened to see the that antisemitism is still present.

“There are alarming rates of hate crimes in the world caused by individuals who do not tolerate people of different backgrounds or creeds. I am truly scared for the future of our society, and I hope to make change wherever I can,” sophomore Catherine Pasternac said.

John T. Earnest, 19, was charged for the crime. It was said that he had with him 50 more rounds of ammunition located in magazines. It is likely that Earnest will face the death penalty if prosecuted for a hate crime, which seems to be the most likely scenario at the moment. Earnest was also convicted for arson which charred the walls of a local mosque.