To the editor:

An open letter to the Lawrence community,

I write on behalf of the Lawrence Jewish Community Center congregation to thank the many members of our Lawrence community who reached out with words, tokens and actions of support and encouragement after the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting. Your telephone calls, cards, flowers, offers of assistance, and visits to our congregation, and in many cases, to our members, were welcome reminders of the vibrant and strong values that thrive in Lawrence. It’s clear that these values are lived, and so I also want thank the residents of Lawrence for their constant work to sustain a broad, diverse and inclusive community of faiths. Our city is the richer for it.

In particular, we wish to express our gratitude to Peter Luckey and the Plymouth Congregational Church for taking the lead in organizing an inter-faith vigil on behalf of the victims from Pittsburgh. And to Moussa Elbayoumy, Joanna Harader, Lucy Crumet, Rita Tutschulte, Judy Roitman, Susan Elkins, Rachel Black and Barbara Ballard for their participation. Together they helped us all bring light to the darkness.

Jordan Yochim, president, Lawrence Jewish Community Center