Thousands join Dallas interfaith gathering to support Israel, Jewish community

DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) - Tuesday night, around 2,000 people came together for an interfaith gathering of solidarity and support for Israel and the Jewish community at Temple Emanu-El in North Dallas. 

"What our aim is is to give them a sense of comfort, a sense of relief, a sense of community, "Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas Board Chair Dot Haymann said. 

 "What happened has been brutality to the max," Sofia Poliak said.

"They took out the Jews and they murdered them just because they were Jews... that's exactly what has happened," Jorge Poliak said. 

"We have a lot of people who are directly affected by this," Haymann said. 

Aya Margalit has been working in North Texas but owns a home two miles from the Gaza Strip. She's still in constant contact with her neighbors. 

"We saw people saying they're here, they're coming, they're breaking the windows, they're shooting the door... help us," she said. "Help and there is nothing we could do." 

Locally, the FBI says it appears there are no credible threats to the community, but law enforcement is working with faith leaders to address any needs. 

 "We offer security services to the local religious organizations, the schools and also other organizations that have Jewish members and participants," Haymann said. 

"Unfortunately, with the levels of antisemitism unprecedented in America at the moment we have to be alert," Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas President & CEO Igor Alterman said. 

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson were both in attendance Tuesday. 

Johnson said he intends to offer a resolution for adoption to the city council Wednesday, in part condemning Hamas for the attacks and stating the city stands with Israel. 

"What I'm asking the body to do is to do our small part to add what I will just call moral clarity to a situation that you would like to think would be clear to everyone but isn't," he said. 

Now, the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas is asking everyone to publicly show their support for Israel. 

They've also set up a donation website. For more information, click here.

In:
• Israel
• Dallas

Erin Jones

Raised in Richardson, Erin Jones is proud to call North Texas home. Her passion for journalism began in elementary school. For a 5th grade graduation memory book, she was asked what do you want to be when you grow up? She wrote journalist.

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