The Valley's Jewish community stands behind their people in Israel as the fighting rages on in the Middle East. The Youngstown Area Jewish Federation held a community gathering Thursday night, and as our Mandy Hackman tells us, the warfare has affected the lives of people here.
"Everyone's nervous because you don't know when it's coming or where," Chaya Kasler, who's family lives in Israel said.
That state of fear is a reality for Chaya Kasler and her family. She came to the United States 25 years ago, but her family still lives in Israel where violence has erupted.
"I have nieces who, there was something at midnight last night there were rockets fired," Kasler said.
Her brother lives in the area where militants fired 24 rockets into Israel Thursday, so getting news from home has become a necessity.
"First thing I do in the morning I turn on to see, the internet, Israeli newspapers, and during the day we type and message to see what's going on so it's very hard to be away," Kasler said.
The same holds true for plenty of other Jewish families in the Valley who still have loved ones in the Middle East. A community gathering at the Jewish Community Center allowed people to stand behind Israel and show they're still connected miles and miles away.
"It's important we all come together and pray for a peaceful resolution. Nobody wants this war. Nobody wants to see innocent civilians die," Bonnie Burdman of the Jewish Community Relations Council said.
Organizers emphasize the need for solidarity in the Jewish community during the crisis and have asked people to reach out to their politicians for support, but religious figures say that only goes so far.
"The most important thing we can do is pray because some of these things are beyond our control," Rabbi Binyomin Simon of Children of Israel said.
Pray for peace and for a hope of a cease fire in the Middle East.
