Community stands in solidarity at Jewish Community Center

CHARLOTTE — The Jewish Community Center in Charlotte held a vigil Monday night in response to the Israel-Hamas War.

The community was invited as the JCC stands in solidarity with the people of Israel.

More than 900 people have died and 2,500 injured in Israel since Saturday’s surprise attacks from Hamas. At least 11 Americans are among those killed, officials said Monday.

“The outpour of support from the greater community, that they showed up to share our pain and share our fear is, it means a lot,” said Tair Giudice.

Giudice is an officer with the Jewish Federation of Charlotte and is an Israeli native with family members caught in the conflict zone.

“They’re OK,” Giudice said. “They have, since Saturday morning, been in bomb shelters.”

The vigil in the Sam Lerner Center for Cultural Arts in Shalom Park was a moment to pause and pray.

Ten candles represented lives lost since Saturday.

“We pray for the civilians and soldiers who have been taken hostage,” said a community member at the vigil. “We pray for a speedy return to safety and to their loving families.”

“To put things into perspective, that is the largest number of Jews murdered since the Holocaust in one day,” Giudice said. “So, this is extremely traumatic for all of us. I also know that Israel had to launch an attack to protect its citizens and that attack also takes a toll. But, I really want to make sure that people know, it is heartbreaking the condition of Palestinians in Gaza. That said, I blame Hamas for creating those conditions and creating this humanitarian crisis on both sides.”

Linda Barghouthi and Randa El Darini are with the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund branch in Charlotte.

The children are the ones that suffer the most, Barghouth later told Channel 9.

The nonprofit raises money for children injured during warfare.

“When we bring them here, it’s at minimal cost by putting them with a host family and having a doctor that will treat them pro bono,” El Darini said.

“And, unfortunately, with children having houses demolished upon them, prosthetics will be an issue,” Barghouthi said.

“We are sad and we’re grieving over the loss of life on both sides,” El Darini said.

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