On Tuesday October 10, Westchester Jewish Council hosted a community solidarity rally ‘Westchester Stands with Israel’ at Temple Israel Center in White Plains, attended by close to 2,500 in person and online.
William Schrag, president of Westchester Jewish Council began, “Never did I imagine that twice in my lifetime. Israel would be attacked on a holy day.” Schrag added, “And never could anyone imagine the savage and brutal manner of Hamas’ attacks upon 1100 innocent civilians, 1000 were murdered in cold blood and 100 kidnapped and tortured. It wasn’t for what they did; it was for who they were.”
There was a very large delegation of Westchester County elected officials in attendance. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, New York State Senate majority leader, stated, “The New York State Senate, the assembly, the governor, we are very clear that whatever is needed, whatever is necessary, whatever collaboration we must do, whatever support we must give, you will have.”
Westchester County Executive George Latimer noted, “They tried to put a human face on inhumanity. We stand with Israel.” Latimer added, “If we do not back democracy here, we will see democracy fail in every corner of the globe.”
Latimer continued, “Evil cannot be countenanced in any form … These attacks are in keeping with a belief that all violence is fair if it seeks to accomplish a political or religious end, and our response must be equally strong, and we must support that strong response. Our two nations work for peace. We will support allies in war when the cause is just. Our cause and the cause of Israel is just.”
