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'Horrified' and 'heartbroken': Jewish community leaders react to attacks on Israel

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Skip to main contentSkip to main contentSubscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.Back to homepageSubscriber LoginEnjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. You can cancel at any time!Loading&amp;hellp;{{title}}{{description}}{{banner}}(renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax){{action_button}}{{tagline}}{{action_button}}{{special_title}}{{html}}You are the owner of this article.Edit ArticleAdd New ArticleYou have permission to edit this article.EditRead Today's E-edition© 2023 Lee EnterprisesTerms of Service Privacy PolicySubscribeRead Today's E-editionShare This'Horrified' and 'heartbroken': Jewish community leaders react to attacks on IsraelCommentsShare thisFILE - The mother of Israeli Col. Roi Levy cries during her son's funeral at the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. Col. Levy was killed after Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns.Palestinians inspect the rubble of a building after it was struck by an Israeli airstrike, in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday.EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT - The bodies of Israeli civilians lie in pools of blood in a home where they were gathered in Kfar Azza, Israel, a kibbutz near the border with Gaza. The image was taken moments after armed Palestinian militants left the area following their attack on the kibbutz.Israelis wait to donate blood at Magen David Adom emergency service in Jerusalem, following an unprecedented attack by Hamas militants on Israel, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023.Palestinians carry the body of a man killed during fighting with Israeli forces, in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday.Fire and smoke rise from an explosion on a Palestinian apartment tower following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday.Fire and smoke rise from an explosion on a Palestinian apartment tower following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday.FILE - A woman cries during the funeral of Israeli Col. Roi Levy at the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. Col. Levy was killed after Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns.Rabbi Linda Bertenthal woke up Saturday morning ready for the celebrations and prayers of the Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah holiday.The weekend was supposed to be happy days for Jews all over the world. There was little joy Saturday.Phil Bertenthal, Linda's husband, received notification of the Hamas attack on Israel as they were leaving the house for the Beit Shalom Community Center in Davenport, where Linda Bertenthal leads the congregations of Temple Emanuel and Beth Israel.As of Monday, Israel is in its third day of war with the terrorist organization Hamas, which launched a surprise attack on the Gaza border early Saturday. The attack has killed over 700 Israelis, according to early reports."It was gut-wrenching, and it (the attacks) came after we just finished the celebration of Sukkot, a time of rejoicing and happiness," Linda Bertenthal said. "I'm really not sure what to say. To me, the savagery and inhumanity of the attacks is breath-taking and horrifying."Rabbi Bertenthal's services included prayers for Israel and the recognition of the horrors of war.Like Linda Bertenthal, Rabbi Henry Karp had other plans Saturday. He was attending a summit of local social justice advocacy organizations for a gathering on "Re-imagining Social Activism" when he was approached by a number of people and told of the attacks."I had no idea," Karp said. "And then I heard and I had to leave. I went immediately to Beit Shalom to be with others and pray."Founded in 1987 after a split from the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas is a product of a nationalist movement that supports fundamentalist Islamic rule of Palestine and rejects the existence of Israel.&nbsp;Karp said it wasn't long before he realized the Hamas attacks were like no others he remembered."It was a complex military operation that showed, I think, serious military planning," he said. "I feel Hamas must have had counsel, there must have been advisors. And, of course, my mind turned to Iran."There is no evidence yet, but I feel Iran, as it has historically, helped plan this attack," Karp said.Karp added he feels Iran's possible involvement has opened the door for some in the U.S. to point fingers at President Joe Biden, blaming him for the attack.Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny StudioIn September, the Biden administration brokered a deal for the release of five U.S. citizens detained in Iran. In exchange, roughly $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets were transferred to an account in Qatar."Fox News and some Republicans have used this horror to blame Joe Biden," Karp said. "They are using this tragedy to further their own political goals. The fact is that Iran is taking advantage of political chaos in the United States and Israel. There are clear signs in Israel, as in the United States, of encroaching despotism."That does not, however, justify Hamas' attacks or its long-term, stated goals, of Hamas and Iran to destroy Israel and the Jews."Karp said Israel is increasingly divided by political debate about the power of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the right-wing nationalist Likud party. Netanyahu's largely successful attempts to limit the power of the Israeli Supreme Court was met with widespread and prolonged protest throughout Israel and the United States.Like Karp, Rabbi Bertenthal is critical of Netanyahu and right-wing nationalism while strongly supporting the people and state of Israel."Phil and I visited Israel in February and had the honor of marching, as our cousins had done every day until this attack, in support of democracy in Israel," she said. "My thought today, however, is that we must stand together in support of Israel and not be divided."But it is also my hope that Netanyahu, if he is as smart a politician as I think he is, will form a unity government and shed some of the extremist members of his party, members who have said horrible things about Arabs and the people of Palestine and have no business being part of the government of Israel."We should never be like Hamas."Rabbi Bertenthal explained how she and other Jews can support Israel and still stand for peace."Hamas must be fought, must be answered. Hamas doesn't represent the Palestinian people. They do not help the Palestinian people," she said. "Let me tell you one of my first thoughts when I heard of these attacks:"On one of our visits to Israel, I stayed at Nahal Oz kibbutz, which is close to the border with Gaza. One day we sat inside a bomb shelter, which is decorated with images like Winnie the Pooh to comfort the children during attacks. I asked what the children talk about during the attacks and I was told the children always ask about the children of Gaza, because they have no shelters and they were worried about the safety of the children of Gaza."Rabbi Bertenthal said she wept when she heard the story."As Jews, we cherish every human life," she said. "And we are not alone. A neighbor came by this morning with money. He said he wanted to do something to help the people in Israel hurt by this war."I am so moved by that."CommentsSubscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.Gaza residents cleared debris Monday as they counted the cost of a night of unrelenting Israeli strikes on the enclave in retaliation for the …The White House National Security Council says Americans have been killed during Hamas’s attacks on Israel in the last few days. Veuer’s Matt …Bruno Mars canceled his second sold-out show in Tel Aviv, Israel, after the surprise attacks from Hamas militants.Israel’s intelligence services are considered one of the best in the business and masters of electronic surveillance. But with Hamas’s attack …Israel increased airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and sealed it off from food, fuel and other supplies Monday in retaliation for a bloody incursio…Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | Omny StudioListen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | Omny StudioListen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny StudioFILE - The mother of Israeli Col. Roi Levy cries during her son's funeral at the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. Col. Levy was killed after Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns.Palestinians inspect the rubble of a building after it was struck by an Israeli airstrike, in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday.EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT - The bodies of Israeli civilians lie in pools of blood in a home where they were gathered in Kfar Azza, Israel, a kibbutz near the border with Gaza. The image was taken moments after armed Palestinian militants left the area following their attack on the kibbutz.Israelis wait to donate blood at Magen David Adom emergency service in Jerusalem, following an unprecedented attack by Hamas militants on Israel, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023.Palestinians carry the body of a man killed during fighting with Israeli forces, in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday.Fire and smoke rise from an explosion on a Palestinian apartment tower following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday.Fire and smoke rise from an explosion on a Palestinian apartment tower following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday.FILE - A woman cries during the funeral of Israeli Col. Roi Levy at the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. Col. Levy was killed after Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns.{{title}}{{summary}}You don't have any notifications.Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.Topics

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'Horrified' and 'heartbroken': Jewish community leaders react to attacks on Israel

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