On Sunday, 4,500 people gathered in Barcelona to demonstrate in support of Palestine, according to El Periódico. The large turnout underscores the ongoing tensions and diverse perspectives surrounding the Middle East conflict.
At the same time, Barcelona's Jewish community held a commemorative event at the Montnegre Synagogue, marking the first anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. The event, titled "The Letter and the Spirit Unite," aimed to transform the pain of the attacks into solidarity and build bridges between communities, as reported by Infobae.
The October 7 attacks, carried out by Hamas and other armed groups from Gaza, resulted in 1,195 Israeli deaths and 251 kidnappings, triggering a war that has caused widespread devastation.
Jewish community holds commemorative event
During the synagogue event, Rabbi David Libersohn emphasized the community's spiritual resilience and called for unity. A collective" Kadis" was recited, and the"Kel Male Rachami" prayer was offered, according to Infobae. The event included symbolic acts such as candle lighting in memory of the kidnapped and deceased and raising the Torah to remember the hostages.
The Jewish community of Barcelona issued a statement expressing the purpose of the event as a way to transform the pain from last year's tragic events "into strength and unity" and stressed the need "to continue building bridges of love and solidarity," a sentiment echoed by El Periódico and infobae.
The event's slogan, "La letra y el espíritu que nos unen" (The letter and the spirit that unite us), reflected the community's commitment to fostering dialogue and peace. Participants noted that "in adversity, the spirit of positive action helps to create bridges in society with dialogue and hope for peace," a theme that resonated throughout the gathering.