Rally against Terrorism and for Peace in Israel (continued)

Rabbi Stern (picture on the right) stated "Sh'ma Yisrael [listen Israel], we stand together with you to live free of terrorism which is threat to democracy. Sh'ma[listen] America, Israel and America are now joined at the hip at Ground Zero, whether in Manhattan or Jerusalem. We are brothers in peace and in arms and we will not tolerate an enemy who smiles to your front and stabs in the back. " Then quoting from Peter Yarrow's song Light One Candle:

Light one candle for the Maccabee Children with thanks that their light didn't die.
Light one candle for the pain they endured when their right to exist was denied.

Light on candle for the terrible sacrifice justice and freedom demand.
Light one candle for the wisdom to know when the peace maker's time is at hand.

Don't let the light go out; it's lasted for so many years.
Don't let the light go out; let it shine through our love and our fears.

Light one candle for the strength that we need to never became our own foe.
Light one candle for those who are suffering pain we lived so long ago.
Light one candle for all we believe in that anger won't tear us apart.
And light one candle to bring us together with peace as the song in our hearts.

Don't let the light go out; it's lasted for so many years.
Don't let the light go out; let it shine through our love and our fears.

And what is the memory that's valued so highly that we keep it alive in that flame?
What's the commitment for those who have died, when we cry out they have not died in vain?
We have come this far always believing that justice would somehow prevail.
This is the burden, this is the promise, and THIS is why we will not fail.

Don't let the light go out; it's lasted for so many years.
Don't let the light go out; let it shine through our love and our fears.

"The world has changed after September 11th," said Rabbi Yaakov Lehrfield of Young Israel of Staten Island, Willowbrook (picture on the left). "We have tasted terror in our own backyard. Whenever we cross the Verrazano Bridge, we glimpse toward Manhattan, that proud skyline, checking to see if the World Trade Center is really gone, or if it's just a bad dream. Our brothers and sisters in Israel live with that terror every day. There is no city or corner in Israel that is immune -- young and old, men and women, military and civilians, all living in fear."

Borough President James Molinaro (picture above) declared: "We have to show support for Israel and thank Israel for its support of the US. Israel is the only democracy in the area and America's only true friend...G-d bless Israel and long live Israel."

Councilman James Oddo (picture above) stated: "Terrorist groups like Hamas and al-Qaida had always been a nightmare for me, but they were always half a world away. Seeing their handiwork in my own backyard helps me to identify better with what the people of Israel are going through now. Israel is right, good, and our friend, and we will never lose sight of that."

Mr. David Nekrutman, Director of Community Relations, Israeli Consulate in New York City