While the local Jewish community continues to mourn hundreds of lives lost in the Hamas attacks on Israel over the weekend, not everyone agrees on what the U.S. should do about it.
Prominent Jewish leaders emphasized the need for U.S. support, while others oppose the billions of dollars spent each year on military aid for Israel.
"Everybody knows somebody. Our youngest is still in the army and she said that all around her, just other soldiers are getting phone calls and dropping to their knees, screaming and crying," Rabbi Susan Silverman told NBC10 Boston Tuesday. "I am just endlessly grateful to President Biden."
Silverman, who is also an author, grew up in Manchester, New Hampshire, along with her younger sister, comedian Sarah Silverman. Susan Silverman moved to Israel more than a decade ago. She emphasized the importance of U.S. support as the death toll continues to rise.
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"It's crucial. I mean, we're at a place of such vulnerability and we're maxed," she said. "There's only one, like, reasonable response to our to this, which is to say to Israel, 'We are with you. And we are heartbroken with you. And this is awful.'"
Meanwhile, Massachusetts Peace Action is urging its members to call on Congress to stop spending billions of dollars in military aid for Israel each year.
"As far as I can tell, the Jewish community in the United States is divided on the issue," said Massachusetts Peace Action's Jeff Klein. "Our general view is that there can't be a sustainable peace and a long-term solution to this conflict unless the U.S. stops its uncritical and, you know, financial, military and diplomatic support for one side. And that has been Israel."
Shira Ruderman, director of the Ruderman Family Foundation, lives in Boston most of the time, but happened to be in Israel when Hamas militants launched their attack Saturday. She's urging people to support Israel and not to believe everything they see on social media.
"It's every day, every moment to hear of someone that lost their dear ones. And it just not you're not able to process it is so much it's so fast," Ruderman said Monday. "I please ask you all truly take a look at this. Human crimes here, the war crimes. Israel would never, never take such actions against anyone, not even our enemies."
