Los Angeles-area Jews and their supporters flocked to a vigil Sunday evening staged for victims of Saturday’s mammoth Hamas attack against Israel. The assault killed hundreds and took dozens hostage; Israel swiftly declared war against its longtime foe and launched sweeping counter-attacks that raged into Sunday.
“I think it’s important for us to come together as a community, to pray together, to show solidarity,” said Tami Weiser, head of school at Los Angeles’ Stephen Wise Temple and School, where more than 2,000 people gathered for prayers, music, readings and memorials at the Vigil for Israel. “It’s good for us to be together, to show all of the world that we stand with Israel,” Weiser added.
“There’s not an equivocation that can be made at this point in time and in history because there is a sovereign nation that had been invaded by terrorists, hundreds of terrorists,” said Rabbi Noah Farkas, president of the The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, which co-sponsored the event with the Board of Rabbis of Southern California.
Farkas said the no. 1 message that vigil organizers hoped to send was that the Jewish community will be undaunted by the attack — and that it asks for empathy and solidarity for Israelis.
“We demand and ask for the community of the world to stand with Israel and the peoples of Israel,” Farkas said.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and county Sheriff Robert Luna were among the public officials who attended the gathering. Many members of the L.A. City Council were on hand, as well as other local mayors, school board members and other current and former elected officials.
As the gentle sound of the song “Olam Hesed Yibaneh” (“the world is built on kindness”) filled the room, the elected officials came onto the stage and lit a candle. Community members added their own candles to the gathering and embraced one another before and during the vigil.
Jenni Alpert, a Jewish educator, song leader and secular…
Read the full article here
