Forest Hills holds a community candlelight vigil in support of Israel following the tragic Hamas terror attacks.
Photo by Germana Dalberto Felder
Hundreds of Forest Hills residents joined faith leaders for a community candlelight vigil in McDonald Park on Oct. 9 to remember the more than 1,000 Israelis who were killed during the Hamas terrorist attacks on Oct. 7 and in support of the more than 360,000 reservists who were called up in support of the “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip.
A majority of the assembled crowd likely has connections to someone currently caught up in the maelstrom that has engulfed the region.
“There are no words to describe what’s going on right now. How do we deal? How do we express ourselves when encountering such an ultimate calamity,” Forest Hills Jewish Center Rabbi Daniel Graber said. “If the Israeli dead were converted into proportions of the United States population, those numbers would be over 30,000. The 2,600 injured would be nearly 80,000 for Israel. This is 9/11 and this is Pearl Harbor all wrapped into one.”
Rabbi Mark Kaiserman of the Reform Temple of Forest Hills spoke of the more than 150 who are currently being held hostage.
“Israelis kidnapped to Gaza, including toddlers, children and the elderly. Now they’re kept in cages and used as human bargaining chips,” Kaiserman said. “The Jewish community often disagrees on matters of Israeli politics. The world community often castigates Israel for their actions, but no true human being can justify these attacks. We are united, we are united as this was the worst that people can do.”
The vigil was organized by community leader and former City Council candidate Ethan Felder.
“I would say there is a long-standing vibrant Jewish community that is diverse in denomination along with its viewpoints, but one that feels very strongly that Israel needs to be supported in this moment,” Felder said. “Obviously, we are all feeling very emotional in…
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