Utahns commemorate one-year anniversary of Hamas attacks on Israel
10/07/2024 10:16:23 PM
SALT LAKE CITY — Monday marked one year since the deadly Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.
On the south steps of the Utah State Capitol, more than 500 people gathered to commemorate the first anniversary of the attack.
Several speakers took to the podium on Monday to share their thoughts and even their own personal stories.
"My sister was rescued by civilians who took survivors of the massacre into their homes," said Maya Skurnik, who is originally from Israel.
Skurnik moved to Utah two years ago, but says he entire family is still in Israel.
She went into more detail how October 7th, 2023 impacted her family.
"My sister was at the Nova music festival, for people who don't know what this is, which apparently exists, it is a music festival that was the first site to be attacked by the Hamas terrorists," said Skurnik.
She says her sister, Yuval, survived.
Ron Zamir is with the United Jewish Federation of Utah. He was wearing a shirt Monday night in support of Itay Chen. Itay is the son of two of Zamir's friends and was killed during the attack a year ago.
"They waited over five months to find out that he had actually been killed that day, Itay, an American citizen, his body was kidnapped and is still being held in Gaza," said Zamir.
During the event on Monday, faith leaders from the Jewish community addressed the crowd.
"A year later, we stand before you today, together, as one united Jewish community in Utah, stronger and more unified than before," said Rabbi Sam Spector, Congregation Kol Ami.
Utah Jewish community, elected officials and faith leaders remember Oct. 7 terror attack
10/07/2024 09:33:32 PM
A sea of Israeli and American flags were held up in the air for over an hour Monday as a memorial took place on the steps of the Utah Capitol one year after the events of Oct. 7.
The day marked the worst tragedy for Jewish people and Israel since the Holocaust, said Alex Shapiro. Standing at a podium, he said, “1,200 were murdered and approximately 250 were taken hostage, of which 101 are still held in Gaza, four of whom are American citizens.”
Some of the more than 100 attendees held up posters with pictures of the hostages. Others wore stickers saying “Day 365” and shirts saying “Never Again is Now” during the memorial which included Jewish rabbis, a leader from Salt Lake City’s First Baptist Church, a general authority from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and two members of Utah’s congressional delegation.
The memorial included the screening of video footage from the beginning moments of Hamas’ terror attacks on Israel, testimony of survivors and speakers acknowledging the horror of the attacks and the hope they have for a brighter future.
For the hostages still held far from their homes, Shapiro, the CEO of the United Jewish Federation of Utah, said “we pray for an immediate return.”
For those who were killed, “we honor their memory and stand in solidarity with their families, offering our deepest condolences and unwavering support,” he said. “We also mourn needless loss of lives in Gaza and Lebanon and the suffering of civilians caught in harm’s way.”
Rabbi Samuel L. Spector of Congregation Kol Ami said he went to Israel a few weeks after the attack. There he attended rallies to bring hostages home and held people in bomb shelters as sirens rang out.
Everywhere he turned, he said he saw two Hebrew words that mean: “united we will win.”
“These words became the mantra of every person in Israel,” said Rabbi Spector, explaining they were used by people of all political affiliations. He said Utah’s Jewish community is now stronger than ever.
“We stand with each other, our friends stand here with us and we stand with the people in Israel and we will not stop standing until every Israeli in the south, every Israeli in the north, every Israeli who is being held hostage in Gaza is home,” said Rabbi Spector.
Local Jewish, Muslim communities react after Iran fires missiles into Israel
10/01/2024 02:30:47 PM
SALT LAKE CITY — Iran launched at least 180 missiles into Israel on Tuesday.
It was the latest incident in a years-long conflict between Israel and Iran-backed militias Hezbollah and Hamas.
Ron Zamir with the United Jewish Federation of Utah says his son was in Tel Aviv.
"So, he sends me a picture from the air raid shelter of his baby who's four months old playing with another four-month-old baby," said Zamir.
Here in Utah on Tuesday, Zamir reacted to the latest attack on Israel.
"It takes 12 minutes for these missiles to reach Israel from Iran. These are missiles the size of a bus, so, what is Iran trying to achieve?" said Zamir.
By: Chris ArnoldPosted 10:57 PM, Oct 01, 2024
SALT LAKE CITY — Iran launched at least 180 missiles into Israel on Tuesday.
It was the latest incident in a years-long conflict between Israel and Iran-backed militias Hezbollah and Hamas.
Ron Zamir with the United Jewish Federation of Utah says his son was in Tel Aviv.
"So, he sends me a picture from the air raid shelter of his baby who's four months old playing with another four-month-old baby," said Zamir.
Here in Utah on Tuesday, Zamir reacted to the latest attack on Israel.
"It takes 12 minutes for these missiles to reach Israel from Iran. These are missiles the size of a bus, so, what is Iran trying to achieve?" said Zamir.
Many of those incoming missiles were intercepted by the country's air defenses, according to a spokesman for the Israeli Military.
"To have 181 high-speed, technologically advanced, incredibly destructive ballistic missiles fired at a tiny country the size of New Jersey is very scary," said Rabbi Sam Spector with Congregation Kol Ami.
Rabbi Spector also spoke about a shooting that took place Tuesday in the Jaffa neighborhood in Tel Aviv, that left six people dead after two suspects opened fire. Police said the suspects were also killed. The shooting happened moments before the missiles were launched by Iran.
"It's a reminder that this is not a fight of Jews against Muslims at the end of the day. Again, this is a fight of good against evil," said Rabbi Spector.
‘We cannot celebrate their suffering’ — Utah rabbi sees hope for peace in the Middle East
09/25/2024 02:32:41 PM
Jewish adherents across the globe have begun the annual 10-day examination of their lives and deeds. It started with Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year) on the evening of Oct. 2 and concludes with Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) on the evening of Oct. 11.
It is a time to reflect, remember, recommit, repent and forgive.
This year’s High Holy Days are especially fraught for the world’s Jewry with so many eyes on Israel and its ongoing battles against Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and now against Iran. War is also raging in Ukraine, and deep divisions are polarizing Americans during this election season.
Here are excerpts from The Salt Lake Tribune’s “Mormon Land” podcast with Rabbi Samuel Spector, who leads Salt Lake City’s Congregation Kol Ami, and explored questions of repentance and atonement during troubled times.
Utah’s Jewish communities spending more than ever on security amid spike in antisemitism
05/03/2024 10:27:40 AM
Jewish congregations in Utah are spending more than ever on security amid an increase in antisemitism locally and nationwide after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the resulting retaliation in Gaza.
Rabbi Samuel Spector of Salt Lake City’s Congregation Kol Ami said his community has upped its spending on security to roughly $500,000 this year — much of it on hiring off-duty police officers.
Additional investments have included dozens of security cameras and other security upgrades to the facility, including new doorways.
There are signs that these efforts are paying off, Spector said, explaining that his congregation discovered one person complaining online that he or she wanted to vandalize the synagogue but hadn’t found an opportunity due to the tightness of security.
“Unfortunately, this is our new normal now,” Spector said, explaining he had recently visited synagogues in Boise and Montgomery, Alabama, that were making similar investments.
In Salt Lake City, Spector said he has been bombarded by threatening emails, social media posts and phone calls since Oct. 7. In that time, his congregation has faced four bomb threats and, on multiple occasions, people have driven through his synagogue’s parking lot shouting obscenities.
The rise in antisemitism faced by Utah’s synagogues coincides with an uptick across the country.
The Anti-Defamation League reported in January a 361% leap in what the organization calls “antisemitic incidents” — from verbal harassment to physical assault — nationwide between Oct. 7, 2023, and Jan. 7, 2024, when compared to the same period a year before.
Fri, October 25 2024
23 Tishrei 5785
