YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Both the Jewish and Palestinian communities around Youngstown held commemorations Monday evening marking one year since Hamas attacked Israel.
The Palestinian commemoration started first at 5:30 on the Fifth Avenue side of Youngstown’s Wick Park with people holding flags and signs along the sidewalk.
The Jewish commemoration started at 7 p.m. on the Elm Street side of Wick Park at Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom where the back four rows were covered with pictures of hostages. Courtney Berman, the congregation’s Rabbi, said they were commemorating Oct. 7, 2023.
“Which was an incredibly deadly day in Jewish history with Hamas perpetrating horrible atrocities against people in Israel,” said Berman.
Suhad Hadi is president of the Arab-American Community Center of Youngstown which was also commemorating the year after Oct. 7.
“A year of ongoing genocide and us trying to continue to bring awareness of something that is actually now spreading,” Hadi said.
As both women were being interviewed you could hear the emotion in what they were saying.
Rabbi Berman said they did not want to see innocent Palestinians killed.
“We want to see people come together in peace. We want to see terrorism gone,” she said.
“I have school-aged children, I have parents coming up to me all the time saying we support you, we’re learning, we’re paying attention,” said Hadi.
However, on this night — separated by a mere 10-minute walk across Wick Park — the two sides never came together but maybe someday.
“I hope that in the future, we can see something like that. We tried to extend the olive branch and we’ll wait and see and hope for that,” said Hadi.
“The truth is, I’d love to. I wish that all of us could see that we’re really on the same side,” Berman said.
What was noticeable all around Wick Park was a large police presence making sure nothing got out of hand.