Arizona Jewish community remembers deadly terrorist attack one year later

SCOTTSDALE, AZ (AZFamily) — One year ago on Monday, nearly 1,200 people in Israel were killed, and over 250 others were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists.

Members of Congregation Beth Israel in Paradise Valley came together Sunday night to remember those who lost their lives on Oct. 7, 2023, and the hostages that never made it back home.

“It’s extremely important for all of us to remember each and every day, each and every hostage, and ultimately take a look at the big situation, which is we have got to figure out a way to resolve the wars,” Martin Shultz, a congregation member, said.

In the year since the terrorist attack, the Anti-Defamation League says its preliminary data shows more than 10,000 recorded instances of antisemitism in the U.S., the most in a single year since the ADL started tracking in 1979.

Congregation Beth Israel Rabbi Stephen Kahn said in the year since the attack, many members of his congregation have found what he called a renewed sense of purpose and vigor.

Kahn suggests the best way to help and support the Jewish community is “by understanding all of the nuances of what’s going on in Israel right now.”

“I really started to personalize this. If this was me or my family, I would hope that there was someone out there praying for me,” said Allison Kierman, another congregation member.

Emily Segal, senior rabbi at Temple Chai in Phoenix, said the year since the attacks has been extremely difficult. She said family members of the congregation died from the events after October 7th.

She said they are praying for an end to the violence.

“For October 7th itself, the Jewish community is coming together as an entire Jewish community, not only as a congregation coming together for a program of remembrance, and we’re calling for swift peace,” Segal said.

Sharone Cohen says her 21-year-old son is fighting for IDF in Israel. He is positioned in the North near Lebanon. She says this past year has been tremendously hard and her heart hurts for the lives lost. She is praying for peace and for the safety of her son and the Jewish community.

“The things that happened are indescribable. Like, just utter shock, till this day, utter shock,” Cohen said. “Our mission is not this war. We never asked for it and it is crazy that it is still going on a year later.”

Zachary Goffin, the president of AEPi, the Jewish fraternity at ASU, says the fraternity has raised more than $10,000 for Magen David Adom, which is the Israeli equivalent to the Red Cross.

The group held a prayer vigil Monday night to honor the lives lost in the attacks.

“It hasn’t been the easiest, but I know the community has been there for us,” Goffin said. “In my four years here, the Jewish community is stronger than ever. We stick together and we are here for each other. Whether it’s my friends who are there for me or the organizations that I trust I can talk to.”

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.

Copyright 2024 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.