Local synagogues overwhelmed by community support in light of Israel-Hamas war

Amidst the devastation in Israel over the last few days, one rabbi in Simcoe County says the community support has been overwhelming.

Rabbi Audrey Kaufman from the Am Shalom Synagogue in Barrie has loved ones in Israel herself. While her sister says she is safe in a city approximately 30 minutes north of Tel Aviv, a close friend's 33-year-old daughter was killed as a result of the Israel-Hamas war.

The rabbi also has been in touch with a member of her congregation who was visiting the region and is expected to be home early next week.

"It's the barbarism. It's inhumane," Rabbi Kaufman said. "They are saying there's no rules of engagement with this war, but it's just absolutely barbaric. It's no regard for human life."

While the last six days have been tough, she says she and other local rabbis have been overwhelmed by support from the community. While her congregation has been helping each other, she says she's heard from people with no connection to the region or the faith who are devastated and want to help.

She says that she expects that this week's regular service on Saturday will be attended by many new faces, including local dignitaries who want to show that they care.

"Whenever I got a response that said oh yes, we're going to be there, I physically felt it. I truly mean that," Rabbi Kaufman said. "The support means so much; just knowing that people are there for us and feel the pain and feel it as a community and feel that it was not just our pain, it's a community pain; and this is not a political thing. This is just simply these sad, horrible things that are happening."

The service will be from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday and is open to everyone.

"We're going to focus the service on peace, on healing, on prayers for those who were killed, those who are hurt."