RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas launched a series of attacks on Israel.
Today, the conflict is still ongoing, and the Richmond Jewish community is speaking out about the national rise in antisemitism.
“By the time I turned on my phone and started getting tons of messages, that’s when I knew that it was going to take me, not hours, but days, to process what had happened,” said Keneseth Beth Israel Synagogue Rabbi Dovid Asher. “I think we’re still processing it, but back then, it was just like… kind of getting punched in the head and just trying to come to your senses.”
Rabbi Asher said Oct. 7 of last year was the ending of Shemini Atzeret, a Jewish holiday the community was celebrating. He said the day took a turn once he was able to step back and read what had happened.
“To a great extent, the American Jewish experience has changed in the last year,” Rabbi Asher said. “And what we’ve known for the last several decades now feels very different, and it’s uncomfortable.”