SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah rabbi returned to the Beehive State on Tuesday, after spending a week in Israel, a month and a half after the attack coordinated by Hamas.
Rabbi Sam Spector with Congregation Kol Ami left for Israel on Sunday, November 12.
He went to Israel as part of a delegation of about a dozen rabbis from across the country, called 'Amplify Israel'. Rabbi Spector was the only member of that delegation from Utah.
"It was very powerful to be there during this time," said Rabbi Spector.
He says they were largely in Tel Aviv, but went to Jerusalem and a couple of other places.
Rabbi Spector says they did a lot of volunteer work, visiting communities that had been evacuated and helping those who had been displaced.
"We also met with many families who were bereaved from having lost loved ones in this war or on October 7," said Rabbi Spector.
He says he got to meet family members of hostages and hear their stories and from others who lost loved ones during the war.
"I'm a father and a husband and I heard from a man who lost his leg in the war, on October 7 and his 15-year-old son was killed in his arms and his wife also died in his arms and hearing his story is something I'll never forget," said Rabbi Spector.
Every day during his trip, Rabbi Spector says he updated members of his congregation, via Zoom, letting them know what he was experiencing.
"We went into a bomb shelter and I have an app on my phone that alerts me where there's a rocket and it just started going off over and over and over and over again," said Rabbi Spector.
He went on to tell FOX 13 News on Wednesday the app went off 27 times for 27 different cities that had sirens go off.
"It was so meaningful to be able to get those updates from Rabbi Spector," said Matthew Weinstein, a member of Congregation Kol Ami.
Weinstein has been a member of Congregation Kol Ami for 20 years and says he watched the updates Rabbi Spector gave almost every day he was in Israel.
"For Rabbi Specter to be there on the ground, giving us reports, giving us a sense of hope, a sense of connection to what's happening in Israel that just touched people in a way that I can't describe," said Weinstein.
Rabbi Spector arrived back in the Beehive State to news that Israel's cabinet approved a deal on Tuesday for the release of about 50 hostages who were kidnapped by Hamas in its deadly attack on Israel last month.
In exchange, Israel agreed to pause attacks on Hamas for, at least, four days.
"We're also pleased with is that,, this cease-fire will be temporary because with what Hamas has done, Hamas cannot be able to continue to rule in the Gaza Strip," said Rabbi Spector.
Rabbi Spector told FOX 13 News on Wednesday he will continue to do anything he can to help Israel from here in Salt Lake, with the hope of being able to return in the near future.
