At 10:40PM this past Saturday there was an attack on an LGBT youth center in Tel Aviv. Those gathered were having a coming out support group on a typically warm night, when the shooter entered the building and shots rang out. Moments later, 11 people were injured (three of them critically) and 2 were dead.
Those who are no longer among the living are Liz Tarbushi, a 17 year old High School Student and Nir Katz, a 26 year old retired IDF Officer. Nir – who volunteered at the center for the past three years – was volunteering his time there as a leader, helping youth come to terms with their sexuality.
The community that night was left in a state of shock.
In Israel, terrorism doesn’t work. When a suicide bomber blows up a cafe, we go out for coffee. When a bus is hijacked, we go on a bus trip to Eilat. When someone uses a bulldozer as a weapon in Jerusalem the next day we gather up our friends and go on a trip to tour the Old City…what we do not do is cave into fear.
I have a lot of things to say right now, but I find that I lack the words to say them. I urge everyone in Israel to come to Tel Aviv this weekend – first to pray, then to show your support of the LGBT community (restaurants, clubs, bars) and then to demonstrate…loudly:
Saturday, August 8, 2009: 8:00PM
Kikar Rabin, Tel Aviv: come out against hate.
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