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By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego, a member of the San DIego Online News Association
Photo: attendees bow their heads in prayer for Israel. Photo by Chris Jennewein
October 13, 2023 (San Diego) - Over 4,000 San Diegans crowded a park in University City on Tuesday night in a solemn vigil to show unity and support for Israel following the deadly attacks from Gaza.
Wearing the Israeli colors of blue and white, and many holding signs and flags, the crowd filled Mandell Weiss Eastgate Park adjacent to the Jewish Community Center.
As the program started, light rain began to fall. Mayor Todd Gloria said the rain represented “tears of mourning” for the hundreds of Israeli civilians killed when the savage attack began on Saturday.
“Your pain is our city’s pain,” he told the crowd. “We will not allow this act of terror to divide us.”
“In the days, weeks and months ahead, we are likely to see ugliness,” he said, but promised that “San Diego will continue to stand with Israel and our Jewish community.”
That support on Tuesday included a heavy police presence around the park, with Police Chief David Nisleit directing operations and receiving applause from the crowd.
Much of the city’s elected leadership was in attendance, including state Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins, Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones and most members of the City Council.
Heidi Gantwerk, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego, mourned the death of Ofir Liebstein, head of San Diego’s sister city of Sha’ar HaNegev, who was killed trying to protect his family on Saturday.
Sha’ar HaNegev and San Diego have been partners for 25 years, and both Gantwerk and Gloria knew Liebstein well.
“He was a man with a generous spirit and a heart full of love,” said Gloria.
Gantwerk said San Diego would honor him and the many victims of his community by continuing to support the region on the edge of Gaza. In fact, some $3.3 million has already been raised.
“The people of Sha’ar HaNegev, if they are nothing else, are astonishingly resilient,” she said. “The next 25 years of our partnership starts now.”
Amit Mekel, the deputy chief of mission for the Consulate General of Israel to Pacific Southwest, left the crowd with a message of thanks and hope for the future.
He said President Biden’s speech on Tuesday promising military and political support for Israel “touched ever Israeli citizen.”
“Thank you, America,” he told the crowd. “When Israel wins, the entire civilized world wins.”
Photo, right: the crowd in Weiss Mandell Eastgate Park on Tuesday.
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