By Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel
CHULA VISTA, California — The tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, where 23-year-old Robin Westman allegedly killed two children and injured 17 others during a Mass, has sparked intense debate about the role of prayer in responding to such tragedies.
Religious individuals grappling with this event may find themselves wrestling with profound questions about faith, suffering, and action. Below, I offer a framework for making sense of this tragedy from a religious perspective, addressing the tensions highlighted by figures like Jen Psaki, Vice President JD Vance, and Mayor Jacob Frey.
For many religious and spiritual people, prayer is arguably a response to the brokenness of the world. Prayer is a natural and deeply meaningful response for many religious people in the face of tragedy. As Vice President Vance noted, “We pray because our hearts are broken and we believe that God is listening.” For believers, prayer is not merely a ritual but a way to connect with the divine, express grief, and seek comfort.
The shooting incident brings to mind a well-known Talmudic story. At the time Moses went up to heaven to receive the Torah, Moses saw God placing crowns on the Hebrew letters of the Torah and enquired about their significance. God told him that in the future, R Akiba would interpret mounds of halakhot from them. Moses became curious and asked: Can you show me this man’s reward? God revealed to Moses the torture he would endure for teaching Torah.
Perplexed, Moses asked: “This is the Torah, and You call this his reward?” God replied: Be silent; this intention arose before Me” [1] The story acknowledges the mystery of suffering. For religious individuals, prayer can be a space to hold this mystery, trusting that God listens even when answers are elusive.
Yet, there is a tension between prayer and action. Jen Psaki’s reaction, “Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers do not end school shootings,” reflects frustration with the perceived inaction following repeated tragedies. Similarly, Mayor Frey’s comment, “Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying,” underscores the pain of a tragedy occurring in a sacred space.
These critiques highlight a valid concern: prayer, while meaningful, does not address systemic issues like gun violence. Religious individuals can interpret this tension through the lens of Jewish tradition, where prayer and action are intertwined. Our faith teaches us that divine wisdom and our words of prayer must inspire human responsibility. Prayer can guide believers to take practical steps, such as advocating for safer schools or mental health support, as a form of living out faith.
Our Rosh HaShanah holiday reminds us that not only is there a time for prayer, there is a time or communal introspection. Our weekly parsha Shoftim reminds us that we must rededicate ourselves to self-improvement and acts of justice.
The FBI classified this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics, revealing the presence of profound evil. The police revealed that Westman’s hatred of Catholics also extended no less to Jews. Westman’s manifesto and videos, expressing hatred for religion and fascination with past shooters, suggest a complex mix of personal and ideological motivations. As partners with God, believers of all faiths must work together to repair the brokenness of this world. Prayer can be a starting point for seeking divine inspiration to confront evil through community action, policy advocacy, or support for victims. However, prayer in Hebrew requires that we be introspective as a community. Every place of worship must ask itself and its supporters, what steps must we take to prevent such incidents from happening in the future?
When we look at the Minneapolis community’s response, we cannot help but feel awed by their courage in the face of evil—staff protected the children, older students shielding younger ones—which reflects the religious value of communal responsibility. Prayer can strengthen this solidarity, fostering resilience and collective healing.. Religious individuals can draw on this to unite in mourning, support survivors, and work toward preventing future tragedies.
The backlash against “thoughts and prayers,” as voiced by Psaki and Frey, stems from a perception that it can become a hollow gesture when it is not paired with action. Religious people might respond by affirming that prayer is not a substitute for action but a catalyst for it. As Vance noted, “Literally no one thinks prayer is a substitute for action.”
Of course not.
For religious individuals, making sense of the Minneapolis shooting involves holding space for both grief and responsibility. Prayer offers comfort and connection to God, as seen in the outpouring of communal support at Annunciation Catholic School. The Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria argued that moral evil does not derive from God; it derives from human beings and the terrible choices they make. Religious communities can honor the victims—an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old—by praying for their families, supporting the 14 injured children and three adults, and advocating for policies to prevent future tragedies. This dual commitment to prayer and action reflects the Jewish principle that faith and deeds are inseparable.
So both Vance and Paski are correct in opposite ways. Religious individuals can view this tragedy through the lens of divine mystery and human agency. Prayer is a vital response to a broken heart, but it must be paired with action to address the systemic issues that enable such violence. By drawing on the wisdom of tradition, perhaps religious and secular people alike can find inspiration to mourn, heal, and work toward a safer world.
Maimonides’ teaching in Mishneh Torah (Hilkhot Teshuvah 3:4) that a single good deed can tip the world’s balance toward merit offers hope in the wake of the tragic Minneapolis shooting at Annunciation Catholic School. Each act of kindness, prayer, or advocacy—whether supporting victims, fostering community healing, or pushing for safer schools—has the potential to shift the world toward salvation, countering the destruction caused by such violence. This perspective empowers individuals to act with purpose, knowing their efforts carry universal weight.
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Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista, California.
[BT Menachot 29b]
Thank you so much Rabbi Samuel. Many of us may remember a time when organized religion, greater participation in civic organizations and prayer played a greater role in the American experience. We had school and day camp gun clubs but turning a weapon on a classmate or anyone was unthinkable. God and the divine was in our lives. God needs us our help and yet we have abandoned God. Rosa Parks stood alone on a bus with astounding courage against incredible hate and cruelty, but she persevered and stood with God to make the world a better place. Like MLK her political activism and civil disobedience were rooted in her Christian faith. It was this partnership with God through prayer that gave us civil rights legislation. Parks wrote in her autobiography “My Story” “I learned people should stand up for rights just as the children of Israel stood up to the Pharaoh”. I know exactly what Psaki and Frey told us and we should believe them because they like unabashed atheist Richard Dawkins who believes God is a delusion also believe the professors statement that ” the universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect is, at bottom, no design, no evil and no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference”.