Latest news with #BoulderJewishFestival
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Boulder Jewish Festival draws statewide support after attack
BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — Thousands gathered at Boulder's Pearl Street Mall for the first time since last Sunday's terror attack that injured 15 people, including a Holocaust survivor. Forty-five-year-old Egyptian national Mohamed Soliman faces federal hate crime charges in the attack. Naor Bitton intervened when the suspect was seen throwing firebombs into a crowd at the Walk For Their Lives rally to call for the return of hostages in Gaza. Family on Pearl Street during terror attack returns 1 week later for Boulder Jewish Festival 'I was lucky enough to be able to help, helped put the flames out, helped create distance between the people and the attacker,' Bitton told FOX31. On Sunday, a week later, he stood on the same block, this time joining a strong coalition. 'Our strength is in unity and we are always driving towards peace,' he said. Buses carrying supporters from metro Denver, Colorado Springs, Vail and other locations arrived at the festival over the weekend. 'Jewish people, non-Jewish people, we saw here Christians, we saw here Muslims; came from all around just to be with the Jewish people and to show us that we're not alone and terror has no place not in Boulder, not in Colorado hopefully not in the world; it was just beautiful,' Bitton said. Visitors saw a strong police presence during the festival. Security increased at Boulder Jewish Festival in light of attack 'I think we needed that today because it's so recent,' said one visitor, referring to the attack. Musician Jay Gindi tells FOX31 the high turnout of festival visitors sends the right message. 'The biggest thing is not letting the terror win,' he said. Others attending the event say that national and international attention now focused on Boulder provides an opportunity to bring people together. 'This should not be a political discussion; we have a community member that was burned by a terrorist. This is a terrible, terrible thing and as a whole, we should always get together, support, come together and show love,' said Jared Jacharowicz. Soliman appeared in federal court on Friday, his next court appearance is scheduled for June 18. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Security increased at Boulder Jewish Festival in light of attack
BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR)- The Boulder Jewish Festival got underway Sunday, exactly a week after a terror attack unfolded, injuring 15 people and a dog. Hundreds of people gathered at the Pearl Street Mall, music filled the air and people could be seen dancing, smiling, and holding hands, showing solidarity at the festival. Tourist details newly obtained video of Boulder attack showing people on fire ''It's been on my calendar ever since I found out about it,' said Melanie Greenberg. Greenberg typically comes to the festival every year. This year, she brought her son Daniel Miller because, after the attack, she says this year has a stronger meaning than in years past. 'Seeing this community attacked, you never think it'll happen to people you know or a community you were raised up in,' said Miller. Chief Stephen Redfearn with Boulder police said, 'Up to this morning, we were constantly evaluating our response.' In light of the attack, Redfearn increased security, bringing in state patrol and a few dozen officers. 'Not just officers walking around in uniform, but we also got SWAT officers here, we got overwatch in better terms, snipers. We've got drones, we've got K-9s, bomb sniffing dogs,' said Redfearn. 'The goal is to have anyone who wants to disrupt this event, or God forbid, cause additional harm like we saw Sunday, to be very clear, everywhere you look, there's a cop.' Redfearn said he would rather law enforcement be extra prepared. Mother, 2 kids speak out after son in wheelchair aids in Boulder attack aftermath There were a few small counterprotests, but officers told FOX31 that other than banter back and forth, the festival remained peaceful. 'We got teams on standby if, for some reason, we have a protest that went bad,' said Redfearn. 'Our partners with the federal agencies are looking at social media monitoring threats online, so it's a real big footprint.' Making people show up at the same place where the fire bombings happened a week ago feel safer. 'It's nice; it's a bit of overkill, but I'm thankful for that today,' said Greenberg. FBI warns of threat to Israeli, Jewish communities after Boulder attack, others Miller said, 'It's just sad. I had hate towards me, being Jewish in high school. I had kids say antisemitic things to me and nothing was done about it. It's sad to see it's still happening and getting worse now, but it's nice to see security around and hopefully it will last.' Attendees say they hope to see the increased security at future events and walks. Redfearn said that because of the attack, there will likely be more security next year, but hopefully, things will calm down so they won't need an all-hands-on-deck approach. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Toronto Star
9 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Israeli hostages highlighted at Boulder Jewish Festival after attack on group urging their release
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — For the 611 days since Omri Miran was taken hostage by Hamas, his family has lived in fear, his brother-in-law told those gathered at the Boulder Jewish Festival on Sunday, one week after a man firebombed a group calling for the release of Israeli hostages at the mall where Moshe Lavi now spoke. 'We received only partial, limited and at times horrifying proof of life,' Lavi said to a hushed crowd. 'We don't know how much he's suffering, deprived of food, water, sunlight, tortured, abused, as I speak to you now.'
CBS News
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Hundreds attend Boulder Jewish Festival 1 week after Colorado attack
The sound of the shofar kicked off the festivities as hundreds of people attended the Boulder Jewish Festival on the Pearl Street Mall on Sunday. It was the 30th anniversary of the festival and one week after a man allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at a group that walks every Sunday to advocate for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. "We've been singing and dancing, crying a bit, and coming together and celebrating what it means to be community," said Simcha Schwartz. "We have to respond with joy and action to hate, and so that's what's happening." The mood was a mix of somber and joyous. People remembered those injured in last Sunday's terror attack in the same spot on Boulder's Pearl Street Mall with a reading of their names. A man in bandages leads a Run for Their Lives march in honor of people kidnapped in Gaza on June 8, 2025 in Boulder, Colorado. Chet Strange / Getty Images "People are very worried and concerned about what's going on, not just in the world, but in our local community," said Karen Bigelow. But attendees also celebrated being Jewish and shared their culture with those who came but were not Jewish. "It's just important to show love and compassion in every community. And I happen to be a part of the Jewish community that I know and love and respect, but I think it's important for everybody to show compassion and unity in times, especially, that are difficult like right now," said David Winterstein. The event has been planned for months, but given last week's attack, there was extra security, which attendees say was a blessing but also a curse. "There's a lot of people that feel maybe scared, concerned about the fact that there's so much security, that there has to be that much security," said Bigelow. Boulder Police man a roadblock on June 8, 2025 in Boulder, Colorado outside the Boulder Jewish Festival and a march calling for the release of Israeli hostages from Gaza. Chet Strange / Getty Images But attendees say, despite the fear, it was important for them to come out because they don't want to let hate keep them from living their lives and expressing themselves. "We have to show up, we have to speak up, and we need to make people realize that now is the time to speak up for everybody in our communities. We're all human beings," said Bigelow.
Vancouver Sun
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
After antisemetic firebombing, Boulder Jewish Festival focuses on healing and hostage awareness
The group that was attacked last weekend in Boulder, Colorado, while calling for Hamas to release Israeli hostages, will be a central focus of the Boulder Jewish Festival, which kicked off Sunday morning in the same location where the firebombing took place. Organizers of the festival, which is in its 30th year, said they have reimagined the cultural celebration to focus on community healing after a man who yelled 'Free Palestine' threw Molotov cocktails at Run for Their Lives demonstrators, according to law enforcement officials. Authorities have said 15 people and a dog were victims of the attack. Not all were physically injured, and some are considered victims for the legal case because they were in the area and could potentially have been hurt. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Run for Their Lives, a global grassroots initiative with 230 chapters, started in October 2023 after Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip stormed into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage. Sunday's festival at the downtown Pearl Street pedestrian mall will center the group's cause — raising awareness of the 55 people believed to still be in captivity in Gaza. The Boulder chapter walks at the mall every weekend for 18 minutes, the numerical value of the Hebrew word 'chai,' which means 'life.' 'It is going to look very different this year. Run for Their Lives is going to be featured front and center,' said Miri Kornfeld, a Run for Their Lives organizer in Denver. 'The community is looking for a way to come together after an act of violence. People just want to be together, and they want to celebrate who they are.' For those who cannot attend in person, a Livestream will be available for the Boulder Jewish Festival on Sunday, June 8,... A group representing families of the Israeli hostages plans to send at least one family to join the Boulder chapter Sunday as it resumes its weekly walks during the festival, Kornfeld said. Art, food and music are also planned. In response to the attack, the Boulder Police Department and the FBI are coordinating to provide increased security at the festival, local synagogues and the Boulder Jewish Community Center. Festival attendees can expect drones, SWAT elements and plainclothes officers in the crowd to increase safety and make people feel at ease, police Chief Stephen Redfearn said. 'Any would-be attacker, anybody that might come there to cause harm, I want them to see that we have a lot of people there, and hopefully that dissuades anyone from doing anything nefarious,' Redfearn said Thursday. The victims of the attack include eight women and seven men, ranging in age from 25 to 88. One is a Holocaust survivor. Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, was charged Thursday in state court with 118 counts, including attempted murder, assault, illegal use of explosives and animal cruelty. He has also been charged with a hate crime in federal court and is jailed on a $10 million cash bond. Soliman, an Egyptian national who federal authorities say was living in the U.S. illegally, told police he was driven by a desire 'to kill all Zionist people,' a reference to the movement to establish and sustain a Jewish state in Israel. Authorities said he expressed no remorse about the attack. U.S. immigration officials took Soliman's wife and five children, who also are Egyptian, into custody Tuesday. They have not been charged in the attack. A federal judge on Wednesday granted a request to block the deportation of Soliman's wife and children. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who is Jewish, has deemed the attack antisemitic, meaning it targeted Jewish people because of their identity or beliefs. Organizers have not confirmed whether all the demonstrators last Sunday were Jewish. The group is open to Jewish and non-Jewish participants. The violence in downtown Boulder unfolded against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war, which continues to inflame global tensions and has contributed to a spike in antisemitism in the U.S. It also came at the start of the holiday of Shavuot, which commemorates God giving the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai in Egypt. 'In the wake of the most violent antisemitic terrorist attack in Colorado history, we are reminded of the profound power of standing shoulder to shoulder,' Mindy Miller of Stop Antisemitism Colorado said at a community vigil Wednesday night. 'Let today be the beginning of a new chapter in Colorado — one where Jews no longer have to stand alone.' — Schoenbaum reported from Salt Lake City. 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