(Jewish Group) Colleyville synagogue: gunman spoke twice to Rabbi Angela Buchdahl in New York City [View all]
Among the details that trickled out of Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, on Saturday while the rabbi and three congregants were being held hostage was the fact that a New York rabbi had been conscripted into negotiations.
That rabbi was Angela Buchdahl, senior rabbi at Central Synagogue and a leading figure in Reform Judaism. Buchdahl confirmed her involvement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and said she spoke twice to the attacker, whose identity has not yet been made public.
I can confirm that the gunman reached out to me twice yesterday by phone, Buchdahl wrote in an email. We are about to share a note with the congregation just confirming that. Other than that for security reasons I cannot share more.
It is unclear why Buchdahl wound up on the phone during the 11-hour standoff, which began during Congregation Beth Israels Shabbat morning services. But Buchdahl is widely known even appearing as a clue recently on Jeopardy! and her synagogues name, which refers to its location in New York City, may lend its itself to the impression that it is an official hub of power in Jewish communities.
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"her synagogues name, which refers to its location in New York City, may lend its itself to the impression that it is an official hub of power in Jewish communities."
Uh-huh. Still having doubts FBI doubts this wasn't anti-Semitism?!