Las Vegas Jewish community mourns deaths of hostages, condemns Hamas

It was with “deep sorrow and anger” that members of Las Vegas’ Jewish community gathered Monday night to mourn the loss of six hostages found dead in a Gaza tunnel, Jewish Nevada President Stefanie Tuzman said.

The gathered lit candles, cried, prayed and sang. They expressed support for Israel in its fight against Hamas terrorists and demanded the release of the remaining Israeli hostages.

“I can’t find the words to express the pain of seeing such brutality,” Tuzman said. “How do we comfort ourselves when the world feels so dark? And how will I ever explain this to my children? I stand before you with a heart that is shattered.”

‘Sadness and grief shared’

The vigil, organized by Jewish Nevada and the Israeli American Council, was held at a community center in Summerlin after Israel said early Sunday it had found the bodies of six hostages in a tunnel under the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

The hostages were Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, a native of Berkeley, California; Ori Danino, 25; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Almog Sarusi, 27; Alexander Lobanov, 33; and Carmel Gat, 40.

The six were captured during Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack that led to the current war. Five were kidnapped from a music festival. Terrorists abducted Gat from her parents’ home.

It was important to have the vigil because “sadness and grief shared is easier to bear,” said Sheila Taube, one of the attendees.

“That wasn’t war,” she added. “It was murder. I don’t understand it.”

‘We’re all family’

Ofra Etzion, regional director for the Israeli-American Council, said the rage and grief that people feel must be turned into determination and support for Israel.

“The hostages and their bodies must be released immediately, period,” she said.

Tuzman spoke of the victims as family.

“It’s insane to feel something so strongly about people that you’ve never met,” she said. “But it’s true, we’re all family. These are our wives, our husbands, our sisters, our brothers, our daughters, our sons, our grandchildren, and my heart aches for all of them.”

People in the audience rubbed tears from their eyes as she spoke.

Tuzman and Etzion lit a candle “in honor of all lives lost,” Tuzman said.

Others then spoke about the hostages and lit candles for them.

They remembered Goldberg-Polin as a lover of soccer, geography and music; Danino as a brave, selfless person who escaped and then turned back to rescue friends; Yerushalmi as a vibrant young woman who loved spending time at the beach and going to parties; Gat as someone who taught yoga and meditation to fellow hostages to keep them calm; Lobanov as a dual Russian-Israeli citizen who never got to meet his second child, who was born in March; and Sarusi as a nature-lover who was kidnapped while trying unsuccessfully to save the life of his girlfriend, who was killed in the attack.

Hope for cease-fire

In Israel, the hostages’ deaths have sparked protests and demands that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu make a cease-fire deal so the remaining captives can come home.

Las Vegas attorney David Chesnoff, who attended the vigil, said the situation is “all in Hamas’ hands.”

“All they have to do is release the hostages,” he said. “But they’re brutal terrorists so I don’t expect them to.”

Attendee Grace Weber said she supports Israel but believes “a cease-fire is necessary at this point to bring the hostages home.”

The Associated Press reported last week that Israel believes over 100 hostages are still in Gaza and more than 40 are dead.

Political figures including Republican congressional candidate Drew Johnson and Las Vegas Councilwoman Victoria Seaman attended the vigil.

“It’s just sad that we can’t get all the hostages back,” Seaman said. “And I think Hamas needs to be condemned for these actions.”

Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.