Charlie Cytron-Walker

Last updated

Charlie Cytron-Walker
Charlie Cytron-Walker (cropped).jpg
Cytron-Walker in 2022
Born
Charlie Walker

Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
Alma mater University of Michigan
Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion
OccupationRabbi
Years active2006–present
Children2

Charlie Cytron-Walker is an American rabbi. He is the rabbi at the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. Cytron-Walker was held captive during the Colleyville synagogue hostage crisis.

Contents

Early life and education

Cytron-Walker was born in Lansing, Michigan. He earned a B.A. in social sciences in May 1998 from the University of Michigan. [1] From 1989 to 1999, Cytron-Walker was a senior ambassador for Focus: HOPE in Detroit. [1] He was the assistant director of the Amherst Survival Center from 1999 to 2001. While there, he coordinated volunteers for the soup kitchen and store, counseled, and worked as an event organizer. [1] Cytron-Walker completed an M.A. in Hebrew Letters at the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati in June 2005. [1] He interned at the Temple Sholom in Cincinnati from the fall of 2004 to the spring of 2006. Cytron-Walker was ordained as a rabbi in May 2006. [1]

Career

Cytron-Walker follows Reform Judaism. [2] In 2006, he became the first full-time rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas. This was his first rabbinical appointment. [2] A proponent of interfaith dialogue, in 2009, he participated in an exchange with a priest from a local Catholic congregation. [3] Cytron-Walker also taught at the congregation's religious school. [4]

While the Colleyville synagogue permitted concealed-carry permits, Cytron-Walker stated that, "...we don't feel that open carry should be part of a synagogue service." [4]

On January 15, 2022, Cytron-Walker and three others were held hostage by Malik Akram for eleven hours during the Colleyville synagogue hostage crisis. [5]

As the standoff reached ten hours, the situation became dire. Cytron-Walker said Akram grew "increasingly belligerent and threatening." However, Cytron-Walker and the remaining hostages saw that Akram was out of position, knew an exit was nearby, and positioned themselves nearby, one by one. Akram then ordered them to get on their knees, and Cytron-Walker got him a cup of juice to drink. As Akram drank, Cytron-Walker yelled at the others to run and threw a chair at Akram while the others fled towards the exit. All three hostages escaped, and no shots were fired by Akram. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]

Cytron-Walker had taken courses for a number of years through the FBI, the Anti-Defamation League, the Colleyville Police Department, and Secure Community Network in order to prepare for the possibility of an intruder. Cytron-Walker credited the information learned in the courses with saving the hostages' lives. [11]

In the fall of 2021, the board of the congregation suggested to not renew Cytron-Walker's contract, although he had considerable support from the congregants. Charlie Cytron-Walker has been with the congregation for more than 17 years. He later resigned. [5]

On February 25, 2022, Temple Emanuel congregants in Winston-Salem, North Carolina voted to hire Cytron-Walker. [5]

Personal life

Cytron-Walker is married to the former Adena Cytron, [12] a diversity management professional, with whom he has two daughters. [13] Upon marriage, they adopted a hyphenated name. [14] She is a 1998 graduate of the University of Michigan. [15]

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On January 15, 2022, Malik Akram, a 44-year-old British Pakistani armed with a pistol, took four people hostage in the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, United States, during a Sabbath service. Hostage negotiations ensued, during which Akram demanded the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani national and alleged al-Qaeda operative imprisoned in nearby Fort Worth for attempted murder and other crimes. He released one hostage after six hours, and the remaining three hostages escaped eleven hours into the standoff. Tactical officers from the FBI Hostage Rescue Team subsequently entered the synagogue and fatally shot Akram.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Goodrich, Terry Lee (January 14, 2007). "Rabbi: Synagogue records milestone". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 27. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Goodrich, Terry Lee (January 14, 2007). "Synagogue installs first full-time rabbi". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 19. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  3. ↑ Goodrich, Terry Lee (January 10, 2009). "One good turn". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 7. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Washington, Robin; Rosenfeld, Arno (January 19, 2022). "Exclusive: Rabbi at center of Texas hostage standoff resigned in fall after board voted not to renew contract". The Forward. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 Caplan, Ann (March 9, 2022). "Colleyville Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker takes job in North Carolina, report says". Dallas News. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker shares what happened inside Texas synagogue during hostage crisis". CBS News. January 17, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  7. ↑ Levenson, Eric (January 17, 2022). "What it was like inside the Colleyville, Texas, synagogue during the 11-hour hostage standoff". CNN. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  8. ↑ Magid, Jacob (January 17, 2022). "Texas rabbi: Hostages managed to escape as gunman became 'increasingly belligerent'". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  9. ↑ Yan, Holly (January 17, 2022). "How Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker's training helped fellow hostages survive the Texas synagogue attack". CNN. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  10. ↑ Graham, Ruth; Goldman, Adam (January 22, 2022). "As F.B.I. Breached Texas Synagogue, Hostages Were Dashing for Exit". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker shares what happened inside Texas synagogue during hostage crisis". CBS News. January 17, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Our Rabbi - Congregation Beth Israel". www.congregationbethisrael.org. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  13. ↑ Andrew Lapin. "'A mensch': Meet Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, freed after hostage crisis". jewishchronicle.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  14. ↑ Jaffe, Marcia Caller (February 15, 2022). "Colleyville Rabbi Talks About Being Held Hostage". issuu.com. Vol. XCVIII, no. 3. p. 9. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  15. ↑ "University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook, Class of 1998". e-yearbook.com. Ann Arbor, MI. 1998. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
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