On Sunday, October 29, Scott Rosmarin and family hosted an afternoon event which was conceived by Linda Ashkenazi as, “A Day of Hugs.” This was to be an afternoon of sharing our pain over the horrific attacks waged on Israel by Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement on Oct 7. Hamas is an Islamist political and military organization that took over the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian territories in a bloody coup in 2006.
The militant terrorist group pursues a policy of jihad– armed struggle– against Israel and western entities that do not abide by Hamas’ doctrine of suppression and violence. After collaborating with NYC and local friends, Linda, Shira Dicker and Judy Ronay thought it relevant to give voice to the more than 1,400 Israeli innocent victims– from infants to the elderly brutally tortured and murdered among them many Americans and people hailing from other nations around the globe.
Two-hundred and thirty civilians of all nationalities and faiths were also brutally kidnapped by Hamas on October 7. Shira Dicker implemented the empty Shabbat table concept which symbolizes the hostages currently held captive in Gaza. Photo posters of the old and infirmed, entire families, and lone suffering infants and children were printed and distributed. Names and nationalities of the abducted were read aloud by those in attendance. Both Ashkenazi and Dicker are longtime summer residents at Rosmarins Bungalow Cottages.
Michael Shack spoke of Israeli family members who were kidnapped during the attack. We prayed that all innocent lives are spared and that they would return to their family’s embrace safely and soon. Rochelle Marshall spoke of volunteer opportunities in Israel.
Ronay, the daughter of Holocaust survivors, spoke about the frightening resurgence of antisemitism and the importance of educating our community about the differences between Hamas and the Palestinian people. Hamas has been inflicting terror upon the Palestinians since 2007, when they took control of Gaza. The Palestinian people, unable to escape the clutches of Hamas, continue to suffer, starve, and are being used as human shields during this raging war. Along with arsenals of weapons, much needed food, shelter, gas and medicine are stored in vast miles of tunnels running under Gaza, and some into Egypt. Historically and currently Arab countries refuse to shelter Palestinians.
Members of Eitz Chaim - Monroe Woodbury Jewish Community Center, Monroe Temple, Rabbi Pesach & Chana Burston, people from the Kyras Joel community, summer bungalow friends, and our local Monroe community of various religious and political persuasions, mingled, hugged, spoke of loved ones in Israel, and stood in solidarity as we sang Hatikva– The Hope, Israel’s national anthem.
May the kidnapped hostages of many nationalities and faiths be freed; may terrorism be rent asunder, and may lasting peace prevail soon.
Judy Ronay
Monroe