Jewish organizations expressed wall-to-wall condemnation and horror at yesterday’s killing of conservative leader Charlie Kirk, with even those who disagreed with his right-wing beliefs denouncing the assassination and the proliferation of political violence in the United States.

Kirk’s killing comes as the Jewish and broader philanthropic communities are growing increasingly concerned about the threats posed by polarization and extremism. Though no suspect has been arrested and law enforcement has yet to comment on the motive of the shooter, the deadly attack was widely seen as political in nature.

“We are horrified by the shooting of Charlie Kirk at an event in Utah. This disturbing act of political violence has no place in our society and must be condemned across the political spectrum,” the American Jewish Committeesaid.

Kirk, 31, who emerged as a major force on the right flank of the Republican Party during the 2016 election, was a divisive figure within the Jewish community. Some considered him antisemitic for spreading claims of wealthy Jews financing “philosophical foundation of anti-whiteness” and other canards, as well as his platforming of white nationalists. Other Jewish donors and leaders have defended him from allegations of antisemitism andhailed him as a “stalwart friend of Israel and the Jewish people.” Kirk has also received considerable financial support from Jewish funders, such as the late Bernie Marcus, who donated heavily to Kirk’s Turning Point USA over the years.

In recent years, Kirk, who is survived by his wife and two young children, has increasinglydenounced antisemitism on the right. “He was really holding back some really nasty stuff in some very young, far-right online circles,” Josh Hammer, a conservative political commentator and a personal friend of Kirk,toldJewish Insider. “He was doing more than maybe anyone in the country to fight that. Part of me kind of worries, frankly, about what that energy does from here in his absence.”

In its denunciation of the attack, the World Jewish Congressreferred to Kirk as “a true friend of the Jewish community” and stressed the need to “resolve disagreements through words and democratic processes — not through bullets and bloodshed.”

Responding to the shooting, President Donald Trump, who has in the pastencouraged violence against political opponents, denounced the divisive rhetoric that he said led to the shooting and vowed to crack down on the organizations and funders that he said demonized Kirk.

“It’s long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree day after day, year after year, in the most hateful and despicable way possible,” Trump said. “For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals. This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now. My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity and to other political violence, including the organizations that fund it and support it.”

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, which has criticized Kirk for creating what it called “a vast platform for extremists and far-right conspiracy theorists,”issued a laconic statement about the deadly shooting, saying that it was “terrifying” and that the organization was “monitor[ing] the situation.” 

Progressive Jewish figures also denounced the killing. “Devastated by the horrific, unconscionable, depraved murder of Charlie Kirk,” Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America,said in a statement. “Political violence should have no place in this country, and it’s incumbent on political leaders on both sides of the aisle to make that clear.”

Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs,called political violence “among the most dire threats to our democracy and our safety” and warned that Kirk’s killing could be used to “pit communities against one another.” She added: “This is utterly horrifying. And I’m terrified about what may follow.”

In Israel, Kirk, an evangelical Christian, was eulogized as an ally. 

“I am shocked by the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk. Israel has lost a true friend and huge ally. I strongly condemn this terrible act of violence, and together with all the Israeli people, send my thoughts and prayers to Charlie’s wife, children, and all his loved ones,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a statement. “Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom. A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahusaid on social media.