The Rabbinical Alliance of America (RAA), representing over 950 Orthodox rabbis across North America, expresses profound grief and shock over the fatal shooting of political commentator Charlie Kirk, who was speaking publicly at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. He was shot during a live event while exercising his freedom of speech and later died of his wounds.
This kind of violence has no place in a God-fearing society. Open discourse, including the expression of differing political views, must be protected and encouraged, not silenced by bloodshed. This attack signals a grave erosion of public space and a failure to tolerate differences. It contradicts American ideals and Jewish values alike. There can be no room in our society for the demonization and dehumanization of political opponents. The Jewish tradition affirms the biblical value of the sanctity of life while this attack demonstrates a dismissal of biblical and traditional values.
Rabbi Yaakov Klass, presidium chairman of the Rabbinical Alliance of America, stated: “The Torah teaches us that every human being is created in the image of God. When disagreement turns to violence, society abandons its divine mission. We must insist on the preservation of life and civility, even when opinions differ strongly. We pray for Charlie Kirk’s family and friends, and join them in their mourning for this senseless loss of life.”
Tragically, universities—once strongholds of free exchange and rigorous debate—have too often become places of silencing and intimidation. When institutions of higher learning fail to foster respectful disagreement, they contribute to a broader culture of intolerance that can spill over into violence. Academic spaces must once again become training grounds for thoughtful conversation rather than arenas of hostility.
The RAA calls for a full and transparent investigation into the shooting, immediate public efforts to restore civil dialogue and protect public forums, and communal and institutional prayers for the restoration of unity and freedom. We must bring God back into public discourse so that our actions and attitudes reflect a recognition of our divine missions to bring light into this world.
In America, differences of thought must never become deadly. The RAA mourns the tragic collapse of public civility and calls communities to rebuild it. We pray that Charlie Kirk’s family find consolation in their sorrow and fellowship in this time of tragedy.