Vigil, Wednesday August 5, 7:00pm, 57 Bethune Street

Congregation Beth Simchat Torah (CBST) will be holding a vigil to honor the victims of this weekend's violence
and demand full equality for LGBT people everywhere on Wednesday, August 5 at 7
p.m. at our Bethune St. location, 57 Bethune Street. For more information,
please contact Katie Naughton at knaughton@cbst.org.

Volunteers to make posters and other preparations are needed starting at 4pm.
Drop-in.

CenterLink Statement on the Tragedy in Israel:

As you may have heard, the
LGBT Community Center in Tel Aviv (Municipal GLBT Community Center, The City of
Tel Aviv-Yafo) was confronted with a dreadful attack this past weekend. On
Saturday night, a masked individual entered the LGBT center and opened fire,
killing two young people and wounding another fifteen. The attack came in the
middle of an LGBT youth support group gathering and many victims are in their
teens. Current reports indicate police may have a lead on the individual. Please
visit the news sources below for up-to-date information, as well as statements
from Tel Aviv officials.

"I am deeply saddened by the horrific attack on
the Tel-Aviv Center", said Terry Stone, executive director of CenterLink: The
Community of LGBT Centers. "The world-wide community of LGBT centers mourns the
loss of these two young people and calls on all people to stop the violence on
LGBT people everywhere. This was a devastating tragedy, and the LGBT community
everywhere would like to extend their hearts and hands to the entire community
of Tel Aviv and Israel."

We at CenterLink are saddened, and outraged by
this attack. LGBT Community Centers are a place where members of the LGBT
community should be able to gather in safety. That safety has been temporarily
shattered in Tel Aviv's center this weekend.

We would like to express our
sincerest condolences to the LGBT Community Center in Tel Aviv, and ask you to
do the same. Thoughts and condolences can be sent to CenterLink at CenterLink@LGBTcenters.org
and we will forward those to the Center. More information about the Municipal
GLBT Community Center, The City of Tel Aviv-Yafo can be found at http://www.gaycenter.org.il.

The Jersusalem Post:

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1248277945034&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull

BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8180069.stm

LA
Times:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-israel-shooting2-2009aug02,0,2362968.story