Religious, city and county leaders gathered at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ City Hall on Thursday to express a community desire to create a culture of welcome.
The program titled “One City, One County, One Community†responded to recent violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, and Barcelona, Spain.
Rabbi Samuel Cohon of Temple Emanu-El delivered a prayer and explained how blowing the shofar, or ram’s horn, represents in Jewish tradition a reminder to repent and seek to become better. It was also used as a warning, he said in the prayer, to spur people to action in light of danger.
The events in Charlottesville acted as a shofar call — a wake-up call that bigotry that judges by “race and religious conscience and national origin†still exists in the U.S., his prayer said.
The program, organized by Ward 5 City Councilman Richard Fimbres, was a call to individuals and leaders at every level in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ to promote tolerance and dignity for all people, along with action toward healing and community building, according to a news release.
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Other leaders in attendance included Bishop Gerald Kicanas of the Roman Catholic Diocese of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, the Rev. Grady Scott of Grace Temple Missionary Baptist Church, Pima County Sheriff Mark Napier, Pima County Supervisor Richard ElÃas and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ City Council members Fimbres, Karin Uhlich and Paul Cunningham. Leaders from Pascua Yaqui, Tohono O’odham and other communities were also present, according to a post by Fimbres on Facebook.
Contact reporter Johanna Willett at jwillett@tucson.com or 573-4357.
Johanna Willett | This Is ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
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