Crowd of hundreds rally for Israel in downtown West Palm Beach

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was updated on Monday, Oct. 16, 2023.

WEST PALM BEACH — An impassioned crowd of hundreds of people dressed in blue and white stood arm-in-arm Sunday afternoon on the city's Great Lawn, crying out Hebrew prayers in support of Israel.

The pro-Israel rally they attended was hosted by Palm Beach County and 21 local synagogues and organizations including the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach Synagogue and Temple Beth El. Fourteen speakers including government officials, three members of Congress, Jewish rabbis and Christian pastors, gave speeches on the importance of Jewish solidarity in the wake of the Oct. 7 surprise Hamas attack on Israel.

Israeli authorities reported that the unexpected ambush killed 1,300 and injured 3,227 people that day. Since then, Israel declared "a state of alert for war," launched airstrikes and cut off food and power supply to Gaza.

Rabbi Yosef Rice of Palm Beach Synagogue said that over 500 people attended the rally, according to a count by its organizers.

For Manyu Peter of West Palm Beach, rallying at the event meant supporting her friends and family who are fearing for their safety in Tel Aviv. “It’s a holocaust,” said Peter, who is originally from Israel. “We have to stop Hamas now. We can’t let this happen ever again. Being here is the least I can do to help.”

More on Israel: Israel attack takes place amid backdrop of rising antisemitism in Florida, elsewhere

Peter stood in shock at 3 a.m. last Saturday when she heard the news that her “worst nightmare” had come true: Hamas invaded Israel with a surprise attack. More than 4,000 lives have been lost in Israel and the Gaza Strip since the conflict began, the Associated Press reported Sunday.

“We have not started this war,” Peter said. “Hamas is a terror and the whole world needs to understand that.”

Mother of Israeli soldier passes out flyers of the missing

Ariel, who asked that her last name not be used, is the mother of a 21-year-old Israel Defense Forces soldier who volunteered to join the Israeli army when the war started last Saturday. She proudly walked around the lawn with an Israeli flag safety-pinned around her shoulders, passing out photos of people in Israel who have gone missing over the past week.

“I try to have faith and not to worry about my son, but I can’t watch the news because I know what’s there and I can’t take it,” said Ariel, who is a member of Palm Beach Synagogue. “I’m just emotional.”

While Ariel was grateful to stand with other Jewish community members at the rally, she thinks steadfast prayer is what will truly propel change.

“We have to fight this evil with holiness … that’s the only way we’re gonna win,” she said. “The more people praying for Israel, the better.”

Many waded through the crowd at the rally chanting "Am Yisrael chai," meaning "the people of Israel live" in Hebrew. The chant rose above the sound of Hebrew songs blaring on loudspeakers, which families with children danced to while holding hands in a circle.

Rabbi ceremonially wraps tefillin around arms

Rabbi Yosef Rice of Palm Beach Synagogue ceremonially wrapped tefillin, which has leather straps that signify Jewish strength and fortitude in war times, around the arms of all who wanted it at the rally.

“When we put on tefillin, we stand proud with Judaism,” Rice said. The tefillin are two boxes containing verses from the Torah, held on with arm straps. “When we do that, everyone will know that we respect ourselves and we follow the Word of God. We will be protected.”

Rice has family members who live on the border of Lebanon who left their homes in haste when the war broke out. He doesn’t know where they are now, but he keeps praying for them.

“I’m praying for the return of all the hostages and the protection of the soldiers on the front line and everyone back home,” Rice said. “I’m praying that there will be no further wars, but only peace and unity amongst us.”

Lois Frankel recalls visit to Sderot

U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach, spoke at the rally. The former West Palm Beach mayor said her most memorable moment in Israel was a visit to a preschool in Sderot, where a bomb shelter is built into the school.

“These little children have a bomb shelter in case of rocket fire, and I thought that was unimaginable,” Frankel said. “But today, Sderot has become the epicenter of savagery and brutality, with bodies lying in the streets.”

Antisemitism is growing around the country and around the world, Frankel added. “Things are going to get much worse before they get better, but it is important for us to keep up our resolve until Hamas is eliminated and the state of Israel has peace,” she said.

Palm Beach County government leaders mourn with Israel

Gregg Weiss, the Palm Beach County mayor, called on the crowd to donate to the Israel Defense Forces.

“We’re here today to stand with Israel,” Weiss said. “Our brothers and sisters have been subjected to terrible atrocities by Hamas, who went in with the intent to kill as many Israeli people as possible. We can’t stand for this.”

U.S. Rep. Maria Salazar, R-Miami, said the Republican Party is “unequivocally with Israel.”

“As an evangelical Christian, I am promoting the state of Israel. We know you are the chosen people,” Salazar told the crowd. “This is a very difficult moment for the world, but I know that the Lord of Abraham is with us and the Jewish people will continue succeeding like they have for the past 2,000 years.”

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Moved by Hamas attack, Palm Beach County rally for Israel in West Palm