President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to discuss a proposed plan aimed at ending the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as Jewish communities around the world prepare for the solemn observance of Yom Kippur, the day of atonement.
In the wake of the ongoing violence, Rabbi David Arias of Temple Judea in Fort Myers, spoke to WGCU on Sunday during an interfaith gathering and expressed the emotional toll the war has taken on Jewish communities, particularly during the High Holy Days.
“Our prayers are going to be with our brothers and sisters in Israel, with the soldiers, with the citizens and with the hostages. Yom Kippur is a day that we dedicate entirely to prayers, and we refrain from eating, from drinking, etc., and we do that only for 25 hours. Can you imagine doing that for almost two years? That is the suffering of the hostages in Gaza right now."
Yom Kippur, one of the holiest days in the Jewish calendar, begins at sunset on Wednesday and continues through Thursday evening. Following his meeting with Netanyahu, Trump expressed optimism that Hamas would accept the proposed peace plan, but assures that if the proposal is rejected, Israel will have his support to "finish the job." The plan has yet to be accepted by all parties.
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