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On the evening of October 10, 2023, community members united in support of Israel at a peaceful and impactful solidarity event in Boca Raton, Florida. Organized by the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, the gathering brought together a diverse community to express their unwavering solidarity with the State of Israel, following the attacks by the Hamas terrorist organization.
The gathering took place at Congregation B’nai Israel and attracted a large crowd of over a thousand people, including community leaders, activists, students, and families from across South Florida and the country. Participants came together to sing songs of prayer and voice their support for Israel.
Local rabbis and prominent community leaders shared stories of affected family members. Nearly every hand in the room went up when Rabbi Josh Broide, Director of Community Engagement at The Deborah and Larry D. Silver Center for Jewish Engagement (CJE) at The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, asked people in the crowd to raise their hands if they had loved ones in Israel.
“Just as we are here together tonight, this is how we must remain,” said Matt Levin, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County. “There is no path forward except together, holding onto each other in love, and working together to rise above any form of hate, antisemitism, and terror.”
At the end of the event, two ShinShinim, young adult ambassadors from Israel, were called to the stage to light candles in memory of all the lives lost since the beginning of the atrocities. With a final message of hope, the gathering concluded with the singing of Hatikvah, the Israeli national anthem, and Am Yisrael Chai, a song expressing the indomitable spirit of the Jewish People surviving against all odds.
The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County has established an Israel Emergency Campaign (jewishboca.org/israelatwar), in which 100% of the funds raised will go towards their partners in Israel.