EVANSVILLE, In. (WEHT) – On Saturday Hamas militants crossed into Israel making their way past Israel’s fortified separation fence. The militants soon attacked thousands in attendance for the Tribe of Nova festival leaving at least 260 people dead and an unknown amount taken hostage.
“I don’t know if everyone can really comprehend what happened on Saturday was the single biggest loss of life of Jews since the Holocaust in one day,” said Rabbi Gary Maza of Temple Adath B’nai Israel.
Rabbi Mazo says in America there’s just under seven million Jews living in the states
with many of them still having family in Israel.
“We have one members family whose cousins were abducted and they don’t know where they are, they know they’re in Gaza somewhere,” explained Rabbi Mazo. “We have other people who were there visiting family who were trying to get out and wound up at the bomb shelter at the airport and still can’t get out of the country.”
Rabbi Mazo says he and his staff work with local authorities to make sure the congregation is safe when coming together at the temple but believes some things are just out of their control.
“What we can’t, assure people about is that anti-Semitism is going to go away because we know that it’s rising and we know that for whatever reason, when things happen in Israel, there’s an uptick in people targeting Jewish institutions in the United States,” Rabbi Mazo said.
People who aren’t Jewish can always donate money which helps to provide aide to those in need
but Rabbi Mazo says there’s another way to help as well. He encourages everyone to check on their friends who are Jewish as they may be struggling or going through a difficult time.
