BALTIMORE — Central Christian Church held their annual A Night to Honor Israel event, which showcased the history of Israel and the Jewish community.
They say the night is usually a happy celebration, but this time it was different.
“We've usually done a night to honor Israel, and its such a different meaning this evening in light of what’s been happening, and just to come together with the Jewish people and to show our solidarity is a privilege to be apart of," Lynnette Connelly, a member of Central Christian Church, said.
“We wanted to do this to celebrate; it started out as a celebration, and the tone of everything now has dampened a little bit to more of a solemn assembly," Pastor Terry Kirk, founder of Central Christian Church, said.
Despite the intense emotions about the current war, the church reflected on how far the state of Israel has come and what Israelis have been able to accomplish in the last 75 years.
“It was powerful; it was moving. You know, there were times when it was uplifting, and then times when it was absolutely horrifying just to hear about the atrocities going on," Judi Jacob-Hamdel, a member of Central Christian Church, said.
They say that although Israel is experiencing its worst tragedy in recent years, they believe the Jewish community will remain strong even during times of war.
Jacob-Hamdel, who’s brother served in the Israeli military, says it was important for her to attend since speaking with her brother last week.
“I got through to him last Sunday; it took a while to get through, and he said they are fine, but they are shaken; they are horrified, but it's unifying them. You know, there is just like every country; there is lots of political things going on, and they were feeling very split as a people, and he is saying, you know, this is unifying them," Jacob-Hamdel said.
The church collected donations that will go to Barzilai Medical Center in Israel, which has been bombed twice.
