'The world needs to see us showing support': Rally for Israel fills Gardens I-95 overpass
PALM BEACH GARDENS — The honking sounds from Interstate 95 felt like validation for a group who took to the Hood Road overpass in Palm Beach Gardens Tuesday night to show their support of Israel in light of the war in Gaza.
About 30 people rallied there as the evening rush hour began, flying Israeli flags, holding signs and singing Hebrew prayers. Many welling up with tears in their eyes, while those driving beneath the overpass sounded their car horns in support.
It was one of multiple demonstrations of support for Israel in Palm Beach County this week. One 45 miles south in Boca Raton Tuesday night drew nearly 1,000 people. Other events in solidarity took place in West Palm Beach and at other locations during the week.
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“The world needs to see us showing support,” Rabbi Leib Ezagui of the Jewish Community Synagogue in North Palm Beach said as he stood on the overpass sidewalk. “We’re praying for peace and for people to be safe.
“I have family members that were killed. This is traumatic and a tragedy for Jewish people, Israel and the world.”
Members of the synagogue, off Prosperity Farms Road between Burns Road and Northlake Boulevard, led the gathering three days after the deadly terrorist attack by Hamas militants shocked the world.
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Ira Jacobson of Jupiter is Florida director of Herut, a global nonprofit that supports Israel. He called on all members of the local Jewish community to gather in prayer and activism, saying anti-Semitism in Florida is “rampant.”
“It comes to a point where enough is enough,” said Jacobson, who stood with Melissa Berenson of Jupiter as she held a sign that said in part, "Never Again Begins With Me."
“This crescendo at this point has to stop," he said. "I had to do something and felt the need to be together with other people to express our love of Israel. Activism in the Jewish community is very important.”
Wrist wrapping a symbol of strength, a show of pride
Ezagui ceremoniously wrapped a tefillin, which has leather straps that signify Jewish strength and fortitude in war times, around the arm of Scott Harris, a member of the Jewish Community Synagogue congregation, during the rally.
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“The tefillin represents that Jewish people don’t go with the regular morals of the world. We stand above and beyond,” Ezagui said. “It’s a show of confidence and pride. When we deal with things that we don’t want to deal with, this is how we approach it.”
Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Rally to support Israel fills I-95 overpass in Palm Beach County
