New York, NY – The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) expresses outrage at the horrific shooting that took place at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 innocent students and teachers and leaving 15 more injured. This is the ninth deadliest shooting in modern US history.

“As our hearts go out to the victims and their families, we call on our legislators to enact commonsense measures that will help combat gun violence,” said Cheryl Fishbein, JCPA Chair.

With the increase in mass shootings in our country, JCPA calls on legislators, in keeping with our longstanding policy, to seize this moment to make our society safer. JCPA supports efforts to close the loopholes allowing individuals to buy semi-automatic weapons, and terrorists and criminals to buy guns. “It is absolutely outrageous that someone can walk into a gun shop and purchase a semi-automatic weapon,” stated JCPA CEO David Bernstein. “It is high time that we institute measures curbing the availability of these weapons that the vast majority of Americans support.”

We urge Congress and state legislators to mandate that states report records on criminals, the seriously mentally ill, and other prohibited purchasers to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, and require all gun sellers to conduct checks on prospective buyers.

We support our young people’s call for a March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C., and in local communities across the nation. We will stand alongside them, and encourage Jewish youth organizations and Jewish organizations with youth initiatives to educate and mobilize teens interested in participating.