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.

Share

Next Up:

Jewish Groups Send Letter to Department of Commerce on Addition of Citizenship Question to 2020 Census

Take Action Donate

November 23, 2024

Our CEO Amy Spitalnick on MSNBC’s Politics Nation with Al Sharpton

November 14, 2024

Chief of Staff

November 11, 2024

JTA: We asked Jewish leaders about their priorities under a second Trump term

November 6, 2024

JCPA Responds to the Election of Donald Trump

October 30, 2024

Countering Disinformation and Political Violence

October 27, 2024

Six Years Since Deadly Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting, We Must Call Out Increasingly Normalized Antisemitism and Extremism

October 21, 2024

New Report: Antisemitism x Democracy

October 10, 2024

Antisemitic Conspiracies Endanger Public Officials and Undermine Our Democracy 

October 10, 2024

Communications Associate

October 10, 2024

Strategic Community Relations Associate