Jewish community from New Jersey visits Israel to support people affected by war with Hamas, bear witness
CHERRY HILL, N.J. (CBS) — For six days, members of Temple Beth Sholom in Cherry Hill witnessed the devastation firsthand in Israel, and they expressed their support for fellow Jews as the Israel-Hamas War continues.
"As bad as I thought this was from seeing what happened from New Jersey, it was worse," Rabbi Micah Peltz said.
Peltz helped lead the group in February to the site of the massacre at the Nova Music Festival, where Hamas initiated a surprise attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip that killed more than 360 civilians.
"That first day really brought us back to the horrors of Oct. 7 and really made us face the terrible atrocities that Hamas committed on Israel," Peltz said.
"I've been to music festivals in southern Israel, and I spent a lot of time there, so this could have been me and my group of friends, and that really hit home," Alyssa Zentner said.
Zentner was part of the group that also visited a Kibbutz site where many homes burned in the attacks.
"You could still smell the smoke in the air when we were there a few months after. You could see people's belongings, you could see clothes in laundry machines," Zentner said.
The group also met with patients at a rehab facility in Tel Aviv, packed food for displaced families and delivered letters to Israeli soldiers from students in New Jersey.
Peltz said it was important to show up and help in any way they could. He said it was obvious there was a mutual concern for Jews in Israel and Jews in America, which has recently been made even more noticeable by the pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses across the country.
"We came and said, 'We're here to support you. How are you doing?' What we heard right back is, 'We want to support you, we hear antisemitism is really rising in the U.S., how are you doing?'" Peltz recalled.
Both Peltz and Zentner said their trip was powerful and motivating, and it highlighted the resilience of so many families in Israel.
"Seeing the way in which the Israeli people have gathered together to support each other and support the families of the hostages, it's incredible at this point," Peltz said.
Temple Beth Sholom is organizing another mission trip to Israel in June as a way to continue to show support.
