Baltimore's Jewish Community Center hosts festival as families grapple with conflict overseas
BALTIMORE - – The "One Park Heights" coalition hosted the first-of-its-kind fall family festival Sunday at the Jewish Community Center.
"We have magicians and story time and bouncy houses and fun carnival food," Sarah Miicke of the Baltimore Jewish Council said.
The group had discussed the idea of postponing the event, Miicke told WJZ. Many families in Baltimore's Jewish community have spent the week trying to reach family in Israel.
"I've been on auto-pilot. I know what my children need, but my heart is 1,000 percent over there," mother Anna Weiss said. "It's a terrible story from two sides. We know there are innocents on the Gazan side, as well as the Israeli side."
Anna and Judah Weiss said they spoke with their oldest daughter this week about praying for peace.
"Our family's over there—by family, I mean, our brothers and sisters. We're all very much united," Judah Weiss said. "We, as a people, have come together more through acts of kindness and give to others."
The festival's goal is the connect the diverse community around greater Park Heights with resources and fun.
"To have something like this to bring people together, to have fun for a day is really, really important," Miicke said. "Check in on your neighbors and have compassion."
Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services Sunday released a statement on the crisis in Gaza, calling for humanitarian access. The statement read in part, "Catholic Relief Services is calling for immediate humanitarian access before a dire humanitarian situation becomes a catastrophe. Civilians in Gaza are entitled to safety and protection, whether in the north or south. We also urge international stakeholders to work towards a cease-fire and an end to the violence that has killed more than 3,000 people."
For more information on Catholic Relief Services, here is their link.
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