Boca Raton community joins in prayer, philanthropy for Israel

BOCA RATON, Fla. — A solidarity event for Israel took place on Tuesday at Congregation B’Nai Israel in Boca Raton.

“I think it’s really important for me and my mom to come together because we have my brother who is there, who is in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) and all our immediate family,” Natalie Grunberg said.

“Do you feel nervous or scared at all?” WPTV reporter Joel Lopez asked.

“100%, I’m texting him every minute texting all my immediate family, friends, everyone,” Grunberg replied.

She said her brother is with family and that right now they’re all safe.

She was among approximately 1,000 people who showed up to the event in search of comfort through the community.

“My heart is broken; I can’t stop thinking what’s going on. It’s terrible, It’s not army to army, it’s terrorists against civilians,” Jorge Volinsky, who attended the event in support of Israel, said.

Matthew Kauerauf/WPTV

“We have to show to the world that we need to be together, whatever has happened,” Volinsky said.

The service was held by the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County.

Inside multiple speakers consisting of local leaders, shared their message of resiliency, as well as commitment to help those in Israel.

“Thank you for being here for the community. But I wish we didn’t have to be here,” Congregation B’Nai Torah Rabbi Rony Keller said.

They also joined together in song and prayer as they reflect on recent events.

“I’ve had 36 years of a career of service in Israel and this is by far the hardest moment of my life, of my adult life when it comes to the war in Israel,” Michael Levin, the president of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, said. “The stories are so horrific for us that we can’t even get around it. You understand the pain of loss. We understand the pain of losing a loved one, but this is just a rupture in the Jewish community.”

Matthew Kauerauf/WPTV

The federation now is launching what’s being called an Israel Emergency Campaign.

“Oh the need is massive, you’ve got psychological, you’ve got children, there’s homes, there’s orphans, there’s a million needs going on right now,” Levin said. “There’s already efforts to bring some of the children from the south to central Israel to put them up in places where they’re going to be safer, away from the missiles, away from the bombs.”

The campaign runs indefinitely and 100% of the money will go toward food, medicine, to finding shelter in Israel during the war.

“The people of Israel who are as resilient as they are, the Jews of America, the Jews of the United States will never give up with our voice, with our advocacy with our philanthropy,” Levin said.

If you’d like to donate to the cause, visit jewishboca.org