A whole bunch of individuals defiantly gathered in Central Park on Sunday regardless of the current terror assault in Colorado to assist the hostages in Gaza and to pay tribute to 2 of the Individuals killed by Hamas.
The Central Park rally, which takes place each Sunday, noticed much more folks come out than normal after final week’s terror assault in Boulder, which focused supporters of the remaining hostages, in keeping with Sunday’s organizers.
Former hostage Raz Ben Ami, 58, stated throughout the park rally that she was moved to see such a turnout within the wake of extra tragedy in opposition to the Jewish group, with the gathering reassuring her that her advocacy was vital sufficient to beat her fears.
“I was scared to come,” Ami admitted following the assault in Boulder that left 12 folks injured.
“If I survived Gaza, I don’t want nothing to happen to me somewhere else.”
However “I’m glad I came and glad to see all those people are coming and they are not afraid,” she stated.
Ami, who was held in captivity for 54 days, recounted the horrors of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist assault that noticed Hamas gunmen drag her away from bed barefoot and in her pajamas.
Ami, who served as an administrative social employee in Kibbutz Be’eri, stated that even when her destroyed residence have been restored, she’d be too afraid to return.
The previous hostage stated she was grateful for the Trump administration’s work in facilitating the discharge of her husband, Ohad, after almost 500 days in captivity, whereas calling on the president to proceed working for these nonetheless held by the Palestinian terrorists.
“They don’t have a voice. They’re in the tunnel. They can’t speak for themselves. I want them all back,” Ami stated of the hostages.
“I believe Trump can do it. I believe if he did it once, he can do it again,” she added.
Jeffrey Prez, 70, a Jewish corporate-real-estate employee, stated he got here out to Sunday’s rally in direct response to the Boulder terror assault.
“A march like this was raided. We were attacked, and when we get attacked, we show up in more numbers,” Prez stated.
“We want to be counted, we want to show that we’re not afraid, and none of us are afraid,” he added.
Elana Huber, 38, a Jewish enterprise analyst, echoed the significance of popping out this week after the Colorado assault.
“No one should be injured or killed for just coming to stand and show solidarity for our brothers and sisters held in captivity, those fighting in this war, even just to be there for each other,” she stated.
Occasion organizer Eilon Baer stated safety worries have at all times plagued Jewish group occasions, with fears solely ramping up after the current spate of antisemitic assaults, together with the one in Boulder and the capturing in Washington, DC, final month.
The occasion additionally served as a memorial for Israeli-Individuals Judi Weinstein, 70, and Gad Haggai, 72, whose our bodies have been recovered from Gaza final week.
The aged couple was killed throughout the preliminary Oct. 7 assault, in keeping with the Israeli army, with their our bodies lastly buried after greater than 500 days.
