Called to prayer: Multiple faiths gather for emotional Prayer Vigil for Israel

A local rabbi asked people to stand if they had family members and friends in Israel, and numerous guests at an Oklahoma City Jewish temple quietly stood.

In a poignant presentation at a recent Prayer Vigil for Israel, Rabbi Abby Jacobson also asked attendees to stand if they knew anyone serving in the Israel Defense Forces or if they knew someone currently hunkered down in a bomb shelter.

When Jacobson asked guests to stand if they had hope, most of the people gathered for the vigil at Temple B'nai Israel, 4901 N Pennsylvania, stood up in a touching sign of solidarity. At the rabbi's direction, those who knew it, sang Israel's anthem, "Hatikvah," which means "The Hope" in Hebrew.

The rabbi's requests helped bring a fitting end to the prayer gathering hosted on Thursday by the Oklahoma City Jewish community. Rachel Johnson, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City, said about 300 people attended based on the number of blue ribbons that were given to attendees to wear in solidarity with the state of Israel.

The vigil was held in response to a surprise attack on Israel launched on Oct. 7 by the Hamas terrorist group. Israel declared war soon afterward. The conflict has so far claimed the lives of more than 1,200 Israelis, and Hamas has taken an estimated 150 people hostage, according to USA Today on Friday.

Some people sobbed openly and tears streaked down the faces of many others as members of the local Jewish community, along with people from other faith traditions, joined together for prayers, scripture readings and presentations. Speakers included Johnson and Jacobson; Rabbi Vered Harris, spiritual leader of Temple B'nai Israel; Kasi Shelton, executive director of University of Oklahoma Hillel; and Edie Roodman, executive director of Oklahoma Israel Exchange. The Schusterman Center for Judaic and Israel Studies at the University of Oklahoma was among the hosts for the event, along with the temple, Emanuel Synagogue, OU Hillel and the Jewish Federation of Greater OKC.

Elliott Wulff, Temple B'nai Israel's student cantor, sang several songs including a haunting rendition of the late Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah."

Prayers are 'what we can do'

Harris shared messages from several of her family members living in Israel and some comments from an Israeli spiritual leader. She said everyone present at the gathering likely knew someone impacted by the Hamas attack and ensuing war.

"All, at the very least, know someone for whom the current situation is unfathomable," Harris said. "Our prayers matter. They are, right now, what we can do."

She emphasized that Jews would survive the latest attempt to eradicate them.

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"I know there are people who think with the Jews, it always goes back to the Holocaust ― wrong," Harris said.

"With the Jews, it always goes back to survival — surviving and thriving. We build, we innovate, we love, we nurture resilience. We see the beauty in nature and each other and diversity — religious, cultural, ethnic, neuro and physical. We're taught to honor life — to argue with each other and then break bread and laugh and Shalom ― pursue peace ― Shalom.

Meanwhile, Jacobson said Jewish tradition teaches that the ways of peace are based on caring for the sick, mourning the dead, and consoling the mourners of all nations and religions.

In her presentation leading up to the event's moving ending, the rabbi told the crowd that Israel is not just a place of Jewish life and the Holy Land is home to more than Israelis and Palestinians. She said it is an extremely diverse society with important holy sites from at least four major world religions, which has taken in war refugees, political asylum seekers, overseas workers and tourists — "all of whom have been affected and endangered."

"Our heartbreak is not for ourselves alone, and so please join me in a moment of silence for the missing, the murdered and the kidnapped citizens of at least 24 countries who suffered at the hands of Hamas terrorists simply because they stood on Israeli soil," Jacobson said.

Interfaith leaders express support

Members of different faith traditions including Sikhism, Islam and Christianity attended the prayer vigil. Christian faith traditions represented included Catholic, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Episcopal and Baha'i Faith.

"It was important for us to just get the community together and to have the support outside of the Jewish community as well — to help us feel that love and support from our neighbors," Johnson said.

The Rev. Joseph Alsay, rector of St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church, said he didn't hesitate to attend the vigil as a leader of one of the three Abrahamic faiths — Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

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"That's what we're called to do — to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Psalm 122 reminds us of that," he said.

The minister said the prayer gathering was emotional due to the "heart-wrenching" situation in Israel.

"It was something that was truly palpable in the whole sanctuary," he said.

The Rev. Daniel U'Ren, senior minister of Western Oaks Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), said he also chose to attend the prayer gathering to show his support.

"I have such great respect for all of them," he said. "And, being someone that's an outsider, and not truly understanding what all is going on, it was important for me to be there just to hear what they are going through and to be a true neighbor — and be there out of support and love."

Marshal Gimpel, immediate past congregational president of First Unitarian Church of Oklahoma City, said he attended the gathering because he is Jewish and because he wanted to support the local Jewish community. He said his Jewish grandparents came to the United States before the Holocaust.

"It is generational trauma being revisited," he said of the Hamas attack.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma City Jewish community holds Prayer Vigil for Israel