Main photo above: A dedicated supporter attending the Community Rally & Emergency Fund For Israel program Oct. 9 at Temple Beth Emeth in Albany. Photo courtesy of Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul.
Over a thousand individuals attended or watched on live-stream the hastily called community rally and emergency fund-raiser for Israel held Monday night, Oct. 9. The Jewish Federation of Northeastern N.Y. had assembled the support program held at Temple Beth Emeth in Albany in response to the surprise Simchat Torah weekend attacks, barbaric massacres and kidnappings by Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist militant organization based in the Gaza Strip.
In the following response war launched by Israel, “Operation Iron Swords” at this writing, (Day 5) thousands have died and thousands have been wounded. The war continues.
The rally included presentations by N.Y. Gov. Kathy Hochul and U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko. Both politicians offered support and reflections. The program also included prayers, remarks and calls to action by Prof. Stephen Berk, professor of history at Union College and by Attorney Hank Greenberg, a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig and a past president of the New York State Bar Association. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, who also attended, acknowledged the pain in the Jewish community and pointed out that, “we stand with one another, alongside one another, during times like this.”
Emergency funds for Israel may be donated at jewishfedny.org/Israelfund23. The day after the rally $200,000 had been raised and Federation officials have indicated that more funding is needed.
A live-stream of the rally may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe4V41vAIjE
Photos gallery below courtesy of Gov. Hochul’s office and the Jewish Federation of Northeastern N.Y.
