Palm Beach County Jewish groups, synagogues to commemorate first anniversary of Oct. 7 attacks
Though the tragic attacks by Hamas on Israeli citizens happened thousands of miles away, the impact on the Jewish community in Palm Beach County could not have been more pronounced.
The surprise terrorist attacks by the militant group have continued to resonate here as war has raged between Hamas and Israel, and expanded to a conflict with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and the country of Iran. Closer to home, the incidents of antisemitism have increased, even here in Palm Beach County — home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the United States.
None of this has been lost on that community; especially as local Jewish organizations and synagogues prepare to commemorate the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 tragic attacks that has led to more than 1,300 deaths.
On Monday, the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County will host "A Night of Unity and Community" program at 7 p.m. at The Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador to the United States, will be the guest speaker.
The event is at capacity, but there is a wait list in case additional seats are released. Email to be placed on the list.
Also, local temples plan to recognize the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks during a series of special programs and services.
Palm Beach Synagogue, at 120 N. County Road, will host an October 7 Commemoration event Monday that will include services, breakfast with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers, and an appearance by Capt. Oren Cohen, a former member of Israel's Special Forces and an IDF photographer.
The event begins with morning services from 8 to 9 a.m., followed by special prayers for the IDF, hostages and all of Israel from 9 to 9:20 a.m., and breakfast at 9:20 a.m.
Cantor Ron Denenfeld, an internationally acclaimed opera singer, will lead the program. The event is free, but registration is required. Register at palmbeachsynagogue.org/october-7 .
Palm Beach Synagogue also will host a Pre-Yom Kippur Musical Evening of Song, Spirit and Remembrance Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
The event includes a cocktail and dessert reception, plus memories and messages from Cantor Tzvi Grinhaim, Rabbi Moshe Scheiner, IDF veteran Omri Goren, and IDF spokesperson Doron Spielman. RSVP is required. To reserve a spot, visit palmbeachsynagogue.org .
Chabad House Palm Beach plans to bring back its "Mitzvah for Israel" campaign that it initiated last year following the Oct. 7 attacks . The campaign is meant to provide support to the people of Israel and the IDF, and bring the remaining hostages home safely.
Those participating are encouraged to choose one of 10 mitzvahs, or good deeds, to perform for a duration of seven days or seven times, said Hindel Levitin, Chabad House Palm Beach director of programming.
Some of the 10 mitzvah "options" are: wrapping tefillin, giving to charity, saying a psalm, having a Shabbat dinner, attending a Torah class, doing a kind act, lighting Shabbos candles, and hanging a mezuzah on your doorport. To make a mitzvah donation, visit onemitzvah.org/israel/chabadpalmbeach .
Additionally, Chabad House is inviting the public to participate in a global webcast Monday at 7 p.m. on its website. Titled "Stronger," the pre-Yom Kippur webcast will feature messages of faith and will commemorate those who lost their lives on Oct. 7, 2023. To access the webcast, visit palmbeachjewish.com//Stronger .
"Maimonides states that 'we must constantly view the world as equally poised between merit and fault,'" Rabbi Zalman Levitin told the Daily News. "'If we perform a single mitzvah, a single good deed, we tip the scale of all humanity to the side of merit, bringing deliverance and salvation to the whole world.' Maimonides didn't mean this symbolically, he meant it literally."
New Synagogue, at 235 Sunrise Ave., will host an October 7 Commemorative Observance at 7 p.m. Sunday as part of the annual observance of the Fast of Gedaliah, a mournful day on the Jewish calendar that commemorates the assassination of Gedaliah Ben Achikam, the governor of the Kingdom of Judah, in 582 BCE. A break-the-fast meal will follow the service.
"The Fast of Gedaliah is a tragic day in the history of the land of Israel," said Rabbi Abraham Unger, New Synagogue's executive director. "It recalls an attempt in antiquity to destroy Jewish sovereignty over the land of Israel. It is, sadly, thematically connected to Oct. 7."
Registration is required. To reserve a spot, visit www.newsynagogue.org/oct-7-commemorative-observance-registration/ .
The Jewish Foundation of Palm Beach County will host an October 7th Memorial Program with Temple Israel.
The event is from 7-8 p.m. Monday at Temple Israel, 1901 North Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach. Phone: 561-833-8421
(This story was updated to add new information.)
Jodie Wagner is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News , part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at . Help support our journalism. Subscribe today .
