Hundreds of people defiantly gathered in Central Park on Sunday despite the recent terror attack in Colorado to support the hostages in Gaza and to pay tribute to two of the Americans killed by Hamas.
The Central Park rally, which takes place every Sunday, saw even more people come out than usual after last week’s terror attack in Boulder, which targeted supporters of the remaining hostages, according to Sunday’s organizers.
Former hostage Raz Ben Ami, 58, said during the park rally that she was moved to see such a turnout in the wake of more tragedy against the Jewish community, with the gathering reassuring her that her advocacy was important enough to overcome her fears.
“I was scared to come,” Ami admitted following the attack in Boulder that left 12 people injured.
“If I survived Gaza, I don’t want nothing to happen to me somewhere else.”
But “I’m glad I came and glad to see all those people are coming and they are not afraid,” she said.
Ami, who was held in captivity for 54 days, recounted the horrors of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack that saw Hamas gunmen drag her out of bed barefoot and in her pajamas.
Ami, who served as an administrative social worker in Kibbutz Be’eri, said that even if her destroyed home were restored, she’d be too afraid to return.
The former hostage said she was grateful for the Trump administration’s work in facilitating the release of her husband, Ohad, after nearly 500 days in captivity, while calling on the president to continue working for those still held by the Palestinian terrorists.
“They don’t have a voice. They’re in the tunnel. They can’t speak for themselves. I want them all back,” Ami said of the hostages.
“I believe Trump can do it. I believe if he did it once, he can do it again,” she added.
Jeffrey Prez, 70, a Jewish corporate-real-estate worker, said he came out to Sunday’s rally in direct response to the Boulder terror attack.
“A march like this was raided. We were attacked, and when we get attacked, we show up in more numbers,” Prez said.
“We want to be counted, we want to show that we’re not afraid, and none of us are afraid,” he added.
Elana Huber, 38, a Jewish business analyst, echoed the importance of coming out this week after the Colorado attack.
“No one should be injured or killed for just coming to stand and show solidarity for our brothers and sisters held in captivity, those fighting in this war, even just to be there for each other,” she said.
Event organizer Eilon Baer said security worries have always plagued Jewish community events, with fears only ramping up after the recent spate of antisemitic attacks, including the one in Boulder and the shooting in Washington, DC, last month.
The event also served as a memorial for Israeli-Americans Judi Weinstein, 70, and Gad Haggai, 72, whose bodies were recovered from Gaza last week.
The elderly couple was killed during the initial Oct. 7 attack, according to the Israeli military, with their bodies finally buried after more than 500 days.
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