Over 600 Attend Community-Wide Israel Solidarity Program

Over 600 people joined together at Westchester Reform Temple on Monday night, November 2, 2015 to show their support for Israel and to pray for peace at “An Evening of Unity with the People of Israel

The evening, organized in the wake of ongoing acts of terror in Israel, kicked off with a parade of representatives marching into the sanctuary carrying banners from 41 synagogues and organizations to display their unity with Israel. “Our community has gathered alongside many others around the world to send a message of strength and unity to the people of Israel, and to the security forces of Israel…. I know that they all hear us,” said Yoav Cohen, Westchester community Shaliach (Israel emissary) and the lead organizer of the event.

Following the parade, the audience heard remarks from local elected officials Kevin Plunkett, Deputy County Executive and New York State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, interreligious community leaders Bishop Martin Nelson of Bezer Holiness Church and Father Brian McWeeney, Director of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the Catholic Archdioceses of New York, and Hon. Nick Minchin, Australian Consul General. The keynote address was delivered by Amir Sagie, the Israeli Deputy Consul General. “It is essential for the Jewish community to remain engaged with Israel. Tonight’s event sent a clear message to our elected officials, the Israeli people, and our children that Israel does matter and that the Westchester Jewish community does care”, said Paul Warhit, President, Westchester Jewish Council.

The program, presented by the Westchester Jewish Council, was organized by Yoav Cohen and Yael Lewis, the Westchester community shlichim (Israel emissaries) and co-sponsored by AJC Westchester-Fairfield, Hillels of Westchester, The Jewish Education Project, Kol Hazzanim-the Cantors of Westchester, Rosenthal JCC, UJA-Federation of New York, and the Westchester Board of Rabbis. In addition, over 60 synagogues and organizations were supporting partners of the program.

“The ongoing news reports from Israel have left me — no doubt, all of us — feeling many things: frightened, sad, heartsick. We may feel despair or bitterness. But one thing an event like tonight’s confirms is that we are not powerless…and we are not alone. We stand together, united in our support,” said Michael Foreman of Rye Brook, who chairs UJA-Federation’s Jewish Peoplehood in New York Committee, which works to strengthen ties among the diverse elements of the Jewish community in the greater metro area.

The Westchester Jewish Council, a beneficiary of UJA-Federation of New York, connects Westchester’s Jewish communities and strengthens relationships among Jewish organizations and other ethnic and faith based groups, elected officials and the community at large. For more information, visit www.wjcouncil.org, or call 914-328-7001.

Photo courtesy of Robert Kalfus 2015