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Jewish Activists in Brooklyn Honor Palestinians on Yom Kippur
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In Short: Jewish activists in Brooklyn marked Yom Kippur with a memorial service for Palestinians killed in Gaza.
On the first day of Yom Kippur, a progressive Jewish congregation in Brooklyn, Kolot Chayeinu, held a memorial service to mourn Palestinians killed in Gaza during the ongoing conflict with Israel. The service, led by Rabbi Ellen Lippmann and Rabbi Sam Kates-Goldman, included prayers, chants, and the recitation of names of those who died.
The event, which took place at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, drew hundreds of participants. Brad Lander, a Democratic nominee for Congress and a Jewish American, addressed the crowd, denouncing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit to the United States and describing the situation in Gaza as a 'genocide'.
According to Pew Research Center, there is a significant generational divide among Jewish Americans regarding Israel's conduct in the war. While 42% of those under 35 find Israel's actions unacceptable, 68% of those 50 and older view them as acceptable.
The service highlighted the growing movement among younger Jewish Americans to recognize and mourn the loss of life on both sides of the conflict. This shift reflects a broader trend within the Jewish community towards a more critical stance on Israel's policies and actions.
Meanwhile, last week, a group of Modern Orthodox Jewish teens protested the mayor's stance on Israel in front of Gracie Mansion. Mayor Eric Adams, who is Jewish, said he never encouraged the protests but acknowledged the protesters' right to express their views.
The teens prayed with tefillin, traditional Jewish prayer accessories, as a show of support for the Jewish state, underscoring the diversity of opinions within the Jewish community regarding the conflict.
What this adds
The event in Brooklyn reflects a growing trend of Jewish Americans, particularly younger ones, engaging in critical dialogue about Israel's actions in Gaza.
What's still developing
- The memorial prayer service is usually recited during Yom Kippur, which started at sundown on Sunday and will end Monday evening.
- NEW YORK (RNS) — Hundreds of Jewish New Yorkers marked Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, on Monday (Sept.
- 21) with a mourning ritual memorializing Palestinians killed in the Israel-Hamas war.
- Showcasing their support for the Jewish state, the teens prayed with tefillin, the black leather threads attached to boxes containing Torah verses worn by observant Jewish men during prayers.