LOVELAND, Ohio — Amid the Israel and Hamas conflict, the Jewish community in Cincinnati is observing Shabbat, the day of rest.
Shabbat began on Friday, Oct. 13 at sundown. Earlier on Friday, women gathered at Chabad Jewish Center in Blue Ash for a prayer gathering, our sister station WCPO reported.
“Prayer is powerful, and so that’s what we’re going to do today,” said co-director Chana Mangel.
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Mangel’s son, Leibel, served in the Israeli Defense Force in 2013 and 2014. Now living in the Cincinnati area, he returned to Israel earlier this week to rejoin the military, according to WCPO.
“I know how much passion he has, and I am so proud of him,” Mangel said. “He couldn’t sit on his laurels.”
Mangel told WCPO reporters that she was initially concerned for her son’s safety, but she is praying for his safe return.
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“We think positive, and we are very confident that he’s going to come back and he will be fine,” Mangel said. “And he will have served his people.”
A former Hamas Leader called for a “day of jihad” around the world, which caused heightened anxiety among the Jewish population in Cincinnati.
The CEO of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, Danielle Minson, told WCPO that laws enforcement isn’t aware of any credible threats.
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“People are feeling very anxious and nervous, and so today is a little bit different from an individual feeling,” Minson said. “But what I can tell you is that it’s no different from a security perspective.”
Rabbi Robert Barr at Congregation Beth Adam said that while there is no credible threat, the possibility is an existential issue Jewish synagogues constantly face.
Many Jewish people are used to security presence at their services, but increased rhetoric takes a toll, according to Barr.
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“People are going: ‘Will I come to services? What does it mean? My kids are going to be here. Are they going to be safe?’” Barr said.
Shabbat will invite an opportunity to reflect on an emotionally draining week, Barr told WCPO.
“I think what the Shabbat or what coming to services does is say: ‘Let’s pause. Let’s sort out our feelings. Let’s allow all of them to coexist,’” Barr said.