AKRON, Ohio — The Jewish communities of Northeast Ohio have been in strong solidarity with Israel since the bloodshed started there over the weekend. Monday night, hundreds came together in Greater Cleveland to show support. One day later, Akron stood with Israel in the midst of unprecedented violence upon the country at the hands of terrorist group Hamas.
The event, called "Akron Stands with Israel," was held by organization JewishAkron.
A couple hundred people gathered at the Schultz Campus for Jewish Life for testimony, prayer, and the reading of psalms. The rabbis that spoke hoped to provide healing in these very trying times.
"This is a collective trauma, not just for Israel, but for the entire Jewish community," said JewishAkron CEO Daniel Blain. "Everyone knows someone either directly or, at minimum, one step removed from people who died in this."
He said it's important for them to all gather so that they can comfort each other.
"There's a need to be together and support one another and kind of recognize the enormity of the moment," he said. "This truly has been a situation where more Jews were killed in 24 hours than any time since the Holocaust and with an equal level of brutality and brazenness."
Blain has a brother, cousins, nieces and nephews in Israel right now.
"So, the immediate thing is, 'oh my God, is our family okay?'" he expressed.
Fortunately, they've all survived, but his heart breaks for the hundreds who have died.
"My nephew, who's about 40, basically left his wife and children in their home and went to help guard the community, and there are lots of other people who did the same thing in communities all over that area who were killed, and fortunately, thank God he was not," Blain shared.
Tuesday evening, JewishAkron started an Israel Emergency Fund to support everyone there that is going through these traumatic times. Those wanting to donate can visit www.jewishakron.org.
Previous Reporting:
- Israel pounds Gaza neighborhoods, as people scramble for safety in sealed-off territory
- President Biden condemns Hamas for 'unadulterated evil' in attack on Israel, vows US resolve in backing Israel
- 'This is the Israeli version of 9/11': Cleveland Jewish community grapples with terror attacks in Middle East