Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their cease-fire for a seventh day on Thursday to allow for the release of more hostages and Palestinian prisoners. The Jewish Community in the Bay Area expressed relief at the news and hearing that more hostages will be freed.
But it’s a guarded relief, according to Rabbi Shalom Bochner because there are still more than 150 people being kept in unimaginable conditions.
“What we want to see is all of the hostages released, and we want to see them released immediately,” said Bochner. “Yes, it is certainly positive to see some coming out, but the emotional trauma that is being inflicted not only on these families, but on the Jewish people is ongoing. And, in some ways, being made worse by this constant question: Will some come out today, will some not come out today?”
The Jewish community across the Bay Area has been glued to the news of every hostage, according to Bochner, watching Hamas’ videos daily.
“I don’t know anyone in the Jewish community that is not watching this minute by minute,” he said.
On Tuesday, a Hamas video showed 36-year-old Rimon Kirscht among the hostages freed. In the footage, Kirscht stares down her armed captor before being taken to the Red Cross. Her husband is still being kept hostage by Hamas.
Kirscht’s sister-in-law lives in Berkeley. Others in the Bay Area are praying for their loved ones to be freed, too.
In Santa Rosa Wednesday evening, seven Sonoma County synagogues, and close to 200 people, came together for a prayer vigil calling for every hostage to be freed.
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Irene Hodes, associate director of development at the Jewish Community Relations Council, spoke at Wednesday night's prayer vigil. She offered resources through JCRC for reporting antisemitic incidents, which have spiked since Oct. 7.
"I want it to be remembered that antisemitism in and of itself has risen 400% or so since this began," Hodes told NBC Bay Area. "It has caused a chain reaction to things that we Jews are dealing with on a day to day basis here. They're separate but they're not. We can't forget that."
There are still more than 150 hostages in captivity, including nine children and eight Americans.
“It’s guarded relief, because it is mixed with the intensity of moving now into day 55 and realizing that more than 150 people, including babies, including people over the age of 80, remain as hostages,” Bochner said.
