Arizona Stands with Israel rally held in Phoenix: 'We’re shocked. We’re grieving'
PHOENIX - Saturday night, a pro-Palestine group marched in Tempe. On Sunday night, a pro-Israel group gathered in Phoenix.
"We’re shocked. We’re grieving," Rabbi Tzvi Rimler said.
For the Jewish community in Arizona, everyone has someone, or knows someone, who has been directly affected by Hamas’ attack on Israel.
From Flagstaff to Lake Havasu and Phoenix to Oro Valley, Chabads hosted the Arizona Stands with Israel rally on Oct. 15.
"We don’t feel that they’re on one land and they’re on another. We feel as if we’re one community, and that’s why when you have one tragedy in Israel, it’s the same tragedy here in America," Rabbi Rimler said.
The event was joined by a rabbi in Israel who shared stories of Israelis from a bomb shelter in Ashkelon.
"They tell me it’s very consoling, at least we had a body to bury, because many of the other people who were slaughtered and killed and mutilated, they don’t even know where their loved ones are," Rabbi Mendel Lieberman said.
The event was meant to be a statement of solidarity.
"There are people in the community who do feel alone and for them, it’s important to come to a gathering like this to show them that they’re not alone, and we’re all in it together," said Rabbi Shlomy Levertov.
Rabbi Rimler in Phoenix says in the midst of the war, he still believes Israelis and Palestinians are on the same team fighting Hamas.
He hopes the citizens of each can come together.
"There’s this beautiful idea in Judaism that a little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness," Rabbi Tzvi said.
Latest on the war
Medics in Gaza warned Sunday that thousands could die as hospitals packed with wounded people ran desperately low on fuel and basic supplies. Palestinians in the besieged coastal enclave struggled to find food, water and safety ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive in the war sparked by Hamas' deadly attack.
Israeli forces, supported by a growing deployment of U.S. warships in the region, positioned themselves along Gaza’s border and drilled for what Israel said would be a broad campaign to dismantle the militant group. A week of blistering airstrikes have demolished entire neighborhoods but failed to stem militant rocket fire into Israel.