HOUSTON — The Jewish Federation of Greater Houston held an event Tuesday in solidarity with Israel after a deadly surprise terror attack by Hamas in Israel over the weekend.
Israel declared war on Sunday.
More than 2,000 people gathered at Congregation Beth Yeshurun. Attendees included people of all faiths and politicians on both sides of the aisle including Mayor Sylvester Turner and Sen. Ted Cruz.
The crowd showed unequivocal support for Israel. Their message was "Am Yisrael Chai" or "The people of Israel will live."
The crowd prayed for peace but made clear they were fully behind Israel's right to defend itself after the brutal attack.
"This is not about politics, this is the murder of the Jews simply because they are Jews," said Livia Link Raviv, Consul General of Israel to the Southwest. "This cannot be allowed. Israel has the obligation to wholly eliminate the Hamas terrorist organization."
The consul general's speech earned a standing ovation from those in attendance.
Turner addressed the crowd, too.
"It's a defining moment for all of us," Turner said. "There's a tendency to remain silent, but in this case, you cannot be silent."
Many of the folks were personally touched by the terror attack. They know someone who's been hurt, killed, missing or been called to the front lines.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Houston has already started a fund to help Israel and its people, and they have already surpassed $1 million and growing. All funds will go to support the victims of the terror attack in Israel.
If you'd like to help, you can find information here.