SARASOTA, Fla. (SNN) — The attack on Israel has spread trauma and grief around the world, and members of Sarasota’s Temple Emanu-El are feeling that loss.
“Looking at it and not believing this was really happening, it was one of the most awful moments of my life,” said Rabbi Elaine Rose Glickman.
The Palestinian group Hamas launched the attacks.
“Hamas has set themselves up as if they are the freedom fighters as if they are the rightful rulers of the Palestinian people,” said Elaine Glickman.
Israel and many of its allies — including the United States — have long considered Hamas a terrorist organization. The attacks by Hamas this past weekend left hundreds dead and plunged the region into war. Palestinian civilians have also been killed in Israel’s counterattack.
It all hits close to home for members of Sarasota’s Jewish community, such as Rabbis Brenner and Elaine Rose Glickman. They made a recent trip to a town near the Gaza Strip, and now they wonder about the fate of those they met there.
“We met some of the people there, we had coffee there, and 15 people were murdered in their homes on Saturday in that town. We don’t know yet who,” Rabbi Brennan Glickman said.
The question after the tragedy was, “What now?”
“Everyone in our congregations wants to do something. We had 250-300 people who came the next day to come together in prayers for peace,” said Rabbi Brennan Glickman.
“We have two of our religious school students, with one of their mothers, making bracelets and are offering them in exchange for donations to one of the charities,” said Rabbi Elaine Glickman. “We’re just trying to do what we can to make some small difference to bring some sort of light in what is just such a dark and terrible time.”
If you’d like to donate to a charity, Rabbis Brenner and Elaine Glickman recommended Friends of Magen David Adom, a group they say is similar to the Red Cross and translates to “Red Star of David.” They also recommended the EMS organization United Hatzalah.
If you’d like to buy bracelets in exchange for a donation, visit Shera Friedman’s Instagram page.