NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — An emotional day both overseas and right here at home as we marked one year since the Hamas attack on Israel.
Israelis paused Monday to honor the 1,200 people killed and the roughly 250 taken hostage by Hamas last year.
As of Monday, more than 100 are still missing, including at least seven Americans.
Here in Western New York, communities also honored those lost, while calling for peace overseas.
I attended one vigil Monday night, where members of the Jewish faith as well as people outside of it joined together to pray for peace.
"I believe it's really important for us, on the one-year anniversary of October 7th to stand together with our Jewish brothers and sisters who have witnessed so much and have experienced so much anti-Semitism in the last year," St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church director, Father Arthur Ward said.
"They are mourning on this day. So many lives were tragically taken," Congregation Brith Hadoshah Rabbi Frank Lowinger said.
"It's a day that's very worthy to remember. In the United States, there are many days that are forever etched in our memory. We will always remember 12/7--Pearl Harbor, we will always remember the Kennedy assassination, we'll remember 9/11, we remember May 14th and this day is worthy to remember," Rabbi Frank said.
Some came from as far as Canada.
"When our Rabbi called out to us to ask us to support this evening, we knew on our heart that we had to be here," Randy Biener said.
Randy and Lisa Biener are a couple from Fort Erie. Randy is Jewish. The two are part of a congregation in Amherst led by Rabbi Frank.
"Pray for the hostages to come home safely. Pray for the loved ones lost. Pray for survivors that have gone through a mental trauma that is going to take a long time to recover from," Lisa Biener added.
Even non-Jewish members of the community like Mary and Gregory Patterson, show support for their Jewish brothers and sisters.
"I wish people would wake up. It seems like people don't care or don't know what's going on. When you read some of the history of what happened on October 7th, it's horrendous. I could not get through. When I was reading an article, I had to stop three times to get through the article," Mary Patterson, who is Christian, said.
She and her husband Gregory Patterson are also supporters of the Congregation Brith Hadoshah and hope peace will happen overseas.
"We know the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus. He is the only one who can bring everybody together. Soon, and very soon, we're hoping he will come and bring the people together," Mary added.
