Boulder Jewish community unites in support of each other after attack, prepares for festival at Colorado site of antisemitic attack

CBS News

4 days ago

Following Sunday's antisemitic attack in Boulder, the Jewish community has come together to support each other, and one of the places that's been an anchor is the Boulder Jewish Community Center.
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On Tuesday afternoon, a group of women gathered there to play Mahjong, a game that's popular amongst the Jewish community. It's something they've been doing for decades. After the attack, the sense of community they gain from it is important.
"I think it does help. Community definitely helps," said one of the women. "It's the history of Judaism because even with the Holocaust situation years ago, they kept their faith as best they could," another added.
Over the last couple of days, the Boulder JCC has been a safe space for people of all ages to come.
"People are coming in, and at the same time, we're providing space for them to actually connect," said executive director Jonathan Lev. "There's not one thing that I can say 'the Jewish community is feeling this,' but what I know is that they're feeling a tremendous amount, and we're here to support them."
Boulder JCC Executive Director Jonathan Lev
CBS
For Lev, Sunday's attack was both deeply painful and personal.
"The victims are pillars of this community, and there's not a place in in the fabric of what makes up the Boulder Jewish community that they are not part of," said Lev. "And so while many people don't even know who the victims are right now, it's important to know that they are core members of what makes this community so special, and they're people who I know personally."
While he's supporting folks at the JCC, Lev says he's also communicating with leaders at every level, including state, national and international about how the community can be better and to stop what he calls harmful rhetoric.
"We know when rhetoric turns to antisemitism, Jew hate or directed against the Jewish people or individuals. We know that that leads to violence, and we need that to stop. We can also be an example to other communities of how that might be possible. And now's the time. We can't wait. The Jewish people can't wait at all. We need it to happen now," Lev said.
CBS Colorado's Chierstin Susel interviews Boulder JCC Executive Director Jonathan Lev.
CBS
On Sunday, June 8, the JCC will host its annual Boulder Jewish Festival right on Pearl Street where the terror attack happened.
"It's both significant and extremely hard that the Boulder Jewish festival is on that site, and it's part of the reason why the very nature of what the Jewish Festival is is being reimagined and deeply thought about, to try to understand and connect with people who are feeling all different types of things, so that there's something for everyone. But there's also a way for the broad community to come together and show their support and love of the community right now, because we need it," Lev said.
Run For Their Lives was the group targeted in the attack while walking to bring awareness to the hostages that remain in Gaza. Lev says that the group will also return on Sunday to continue their mission.