The Virginia Peninsula community gathered in support of Israel on Wednesday, October 11, just days after the tiny nation was brutally attacked. Nearly 500 people, including many political dignitaries attended the Rally for Israel to condemn the terrorist acts of Hamas against the Jewish homeland and its people, as well as to demonstrate support for the country. The event took place on the UJCVP campus.

“At this time It feels right to gather together and to take comfort with each other. And to lift our voices together in prayer, in song and in solidarity,” shared Eric Maurer, Executive Director of the UJCVP. “In these times of sorrow and great pain, we seek community, we seek the fellowship our shared humanity provides. But these bonds of fraternity that we nurture today must stir us to action, must jolt us to act, must be converted into commitment!”

At the event, UJCVP President Wendy Eisner announced the emergency fundraising campaign for Israel that the UJCVP had initiated to meet the dire humanitarian need in and the matching gift opportunity. “The generosity of our community has been astounding as we raise these critical funds, but still so much more is needed. The scope of the devastation is unimaginable, and we will continue to raise significant support,” she said.

To date, the small, but mighty Virginia Peninsula Jewish community has raised nearly $450,000 for the Israel crisis response.

“The funds our community has raised are being put to a slew of immediate and urgent needs, such as medical care, emergency services, evacuation, transport, housing, supporting victims of terror, trauma relief and psychological support, as well as preparing for medium- and long-term needs,” shared Eisner.

Another action required, was shared by Virginia Peninsula community member Danit Tal, whose grandfather was a Holocaust survivor from Poland and whose grandmother was born and raised in Tzfat - long before the country of Israel even existed. 

At the rally she shared that she has “been guilty of staying silent when issues are spoken about because I don’t want to ruffle feathers or make enemies. But I see now that all that has come of that is the perpetuation of age-old antisemitism. The terrorist attack and the reaction to it has exposed the pervasiveness and resurgence of antisemitism today.”

“Every person who unequivocally supports Israel and Judaism and speaks up against antisemitism, gives courage to others to speak up. We must recognize and combat the antisemitism that surrounds us and that is perpetuated in our country. Our platforms and voices are all we have, and we MUST use them before it’s too late,” Tal concluded.

The rally included prayers and messages from all of our Virginia Peninsula community synagogues. “As Jews, we believe in the power of prayer,” shared Rabbi Gershon Litt of Adath Jeshurun Synagogue in Newport News. “We believe by doing an act, we can make a difference.”

The event also included musical performances by Congregation Emet V’Or’s Cantorial Soloist Jonathan Rathsam, Temple Sinai’s Rabbi Severine Sokol and Temple Beth El’s Rich Roston.

“We are one giant family,” shared Rabbi David Katz of Temple Beth El in Williamsburg. “We are all connected and we all feel what happens to each other.”

The UJCVP has launched a Mobilization Center on its website at www.ujcvp.org to stay informed and learn about opportunities to support Israel locally during this difficult time. The page will continue to be updated with opportunities and events as they come together.