Vigil held in MN for 6 hostages killed by Hamas in Gaza

The Jewish community gathered in St. Louis Park on Wednesday night to remember the six hostages found dead in Gaza over the weekend.

What happened?

The service, in a field at the Sabes Center, included prayers, songs and prepared remarks from community members and clergy.

The hostages, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, were shot and killed in a tunnel by Hamas militants shortly before Israeli forces arrived, according to Israel.

"There are so many connections," said Rabbi Alexander Davis of Beth El Synagogue in St. Louis Park. "Everyone is basically one degree away from someone who is a hostage or is a family member of a hostage. I myself – my sister-in-law – went to school with Rachel Goldberg."

Context

Rob Kahn, a former senior rabbi at Beth El Synagogue, is also friends with the Goldberg-Polins. His family attends the same congregation as them in Jerusalem. 

The other hostages who died were Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Ori Danino, 25; Alexander Lobanov, 32; Carmel Gat, 40; and Almog Sarusi, 27.

St. Louis ParkIsrael Hamas war