JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The conflict in Israel is weighing heavily on the hearts of the Jewish community in Jacksonville.
It was a weekend meant to be spent celebrating Simchat Torah, the end of the public reading of the Torah, however, the holiday will be forever marked after the Hamas attacks.
Simchat Torah is traditionally celebrated by stepping away from electronic devices, however, Jewish Federation and Foundation of Northeast Florida CEO Mariam Feist spent her entire weekend on the phone, contacted loved ones in Israel.
“What we were seeing, what was unfolding in front of us and the contact we had with friends in Israel was not only a total shock, but nothing that they had experienced," said Feist.
As the CEO of the federation, Feist has been to Israel dozens of times, meeting countless people who are now suddenly living in the middle of a country at war.
“Forget about the damage, think about the trauma that people are going through, and this is not in one area," said Feist.
Feist says there are more than 140 Jewish federations in the U.S., each with a region they work closely with in Israel.
For the Northeast Florida Federation, that’s Hadera Eiron, about 30 miles north of Tel Aviv.
“We’re in constant contact with the people living there," said Feist. "They were quiet for the first part, but then they started getting red alerts and going into bomb shelters.”
Feist says the federation hires a young adult emissary every two years to work on the First Coast before they move back to Israel. Now, she’s been checking in with the past three or four they’ve had to see what it’s like where they’re at.
“They just said it’s horrible," said Feist. "It’s like nothing they’ve ever experienced before and just were so appreciate of our thoughts, prayers and knowing we are standing in solidarity with them.”
The Jewish Federation and Foundation of Northeast Florida is planning a community gathering this week to show support for Israel and will spend the next weeks, months, or even years supporting families financially as they try to recover.
Feist said they hope to have mission groups fly into Israel within the next few weeks to show their support.