‘We stand with Israel’: Fort Worth leaders, Jewish groups support victims of Hamas attack

Barry Abels, executive director of the Jewish Federation in Fort Worth and Tarrant County, opened a Tuesday night vigil with a blog by his brother, recounting the events of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

“If this is not a wakeup call to the United Nations and to the world about the place of Israel in the family of nations, nothing will do it,” said Abels as he read his brother’s blog. “Israel takes the steps to survive and still provide technology and innovation to the world. Israel sends aid and to every disaster throughout the world.”

“Israel’s biggest fault is learning how to do what it takes to protect its people and still give the world back more than it ever gets. There’s something wrong about this, and that is why Israel needs and must have our unwavering support,” Abels read from the blog.

The vigil came just days after war was declared Sunday between Israel and Hamas after the Palestinian Islamist group invaded and attacked Israel, McClatchy News reported.

As of Tuesday, at least 765 Palestinians have been killed, with 4,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. About 900 Israelis have been killed, with 2,741 wounded, according to Israel Defense Forces. Casualties are expected to increase as bombings and combat continue, McClatchy News reported.

Fort Worth city leaders and other members of the Jewish Federation of Fort Worth and Tarrant County attended the community-wide vigil at Beth-El Congregation in solidarity for Israel, where they — in addition to community members — prayed and sung.

“In difficult times, we all know that words of comfort are very important,“ said Howard Rosenthal, associate director for the Jewish Federation of Fort Worth and Tarrant County. “This certainly would be needed by the people of Israel at this time, and also for so many of us, our families and our friends.”

Texas Rep. Craig Goldman, of Fort Worth, said at the vigil that the very first task the Texas House of Representatives addressed Tuesday was introducing House Resolution 10, in an effort to support the nation of Israel.

“I’m proud to say that every single member of the Texas State House came and stood next to me as we passed that resolution and passed unanimously. There’s a strong message,” Goldman said. “What we do here matters.”

Goldman praised Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent announcement of allocating $4 million in funds to enhance security for Jewish organizations. Abbott also issued an executive order that calls all “Texas state agencies to refrain from purchasing goods produced or exported from the Gaza Strip” and from any organizations with ties to Hamas, according to a news release from the Office of the Texas Governor.

“When we show our support to the state of Israel, the people of Israel see it and recognize it and spread it around and they appreciate it,” said Goldman.

But he also did not fail to mention groups of people dressed in Nazi clothing who were seen in Fort Worth on Sunday.

“When we see the neo-Nazis in a restaurant wearing a badge with the swastika on it, we need to call that out. We need to speak up. And we need to educate,” Goldman said.

A group was seen and filmed at a Torchy’s Tacos in Fort Worth’s Medical District, at West Rosedale Street and Forest Park Boulevard, where they got into a verbal altercation with a customer who was eating at the restaurant. A group wearing similar Nazi paraphernalia was also seen in the parking lot of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, where the individuals left hundreds of fliers containing anti-Semitic material on cars.

Torchy’s Taco’s and the garden’s CEO, Patrick Newman, both issued statements that they do not tolerate hateful behavior and that the group is not welcome to either business.

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker also attended the vigil, showing her support for Israel and the local Jewish community.

“Tonight we stand with the people of Israel during these unthinkable and horrific times and our hearts are broken,” Parker said. “We are praying for the end of the tragic violence that we are seeing displayed in Israel, praying for the families involved, the mothers and fathers, and grandparents, and children, infants who wait to hear if their family members are OK.”

She also gave her consolation to Fort Worth residents whose family members reside in Israel.

“We are praying for those affected here in our very own community of Fort Worth,” said Parker. “In Fort Worth, we will surround our Jewish community with love, support, comfort, and protection in this very uncertain time.”

According to Parker, anti-Semitic behavior has been seen in other areas of the country, including New York, Philadelphia and California.

“They may be loud, some may be explicit on the streets in support of protests for the murder and the eradication of the Jewish people because that’s what they want,” she said.

But, Parker said, Texas — specifically Fort Worth — does not tolerate the behavior.

“That type of hate was rejected here in Texas. Individuals walking through our restaurants in Fort Worth, openly wearing Nazi swastikas on their arm and passing out propaganda onto cars at the Botanic Garden just this past Sunday. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim,” said Parker.

“In the city of Fort Worth, we stand with Israel to support our brothers and our sisters in Israel, our love and support here in this room, in this holy place as we surround our Jewish community, hurting and fearful right here at home,” said Parker as she concluded the comments on behalf of city officials.

The vigil ended with its attendees singing Hatikvah — Israel’s national anthem — in unison.

Abels encouraged attendees and the community to donate funds to the Jewish Federation of Fort Worth and Tarrant County and to other Jewish organizations to support victims of the attack.

Donations can be made at the federation’s website.